NALAG calls for amendment of Act on Minister

Accra, Sept. 1, GNA - The President of the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG), Mr Theophilus Aidoo-Mensah, has called for amendment of the Act that established the district assembly concept to enable district chief executives to be approved by a simple majority.

The Act stipulates that district chief executive shall be appointed by the President with the prior approval of not less than two-thirds majority of members of the assembly present and voting at the meeting.

He said some of the assemblies were using the two-thirds majority to hold the appointed DCEs to ransom and added that approval by simple majority would enhance democracy.

Mr Aidoo-Mensah, who is also the District Chief Executive for Gomoa West, said this when NALAG executive paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Joseph Yieleh Chiereh, in Accra.

He said the existing legislation which made DCEs to be appointed by the President should be retained and that electing them could create problems for the country.

Mr Aidoo-Mensah called for early release of the District Assembly Common Fund, saying undue delay in releasing it had been retarding development in the Metropolitan, Municipal and District assemblies.

He said to make the assemblies to work effectively the government must introduce remuneration and other incentives for assembly members, adding that such remuneration and their ex-gratia must be paid from the Consolidated Fund.

Mr Aidoo-Mensah said the present policy that made assembly members' ex-gratia to be fixed and paid by the assemblies based on ability to pay created disparities.

Alhaji A. Sherif, NALAG General Secretary, appealed to the minister to help the association to organise in-service training programmes to build the capacity of their members to enable them to perform more effectively.

Mr Chiereh said the government was determined to make the assemblies real engine of growth and commended some of the DCEs for advancing the government's vision.

He urged those who were 93sleeping to wake-up from their slumber" and rise to the challenge of building a better Ghana.

The minister assured them that the concerns they raised would be addressed.

Present at the meeting were the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Local Government, Mr. Dominic Azumah and the Chief Director of the ministry.