Ayawaso Municipalities deserve competent MMDCEs not popular people - Group

A group calling itself, VOiCE Center for Local Governance, Leadership and Research has urged President Akufo-Addo to appoint people with relevant skills and knowledge and managerial competence to take the positions within the newly created Ayawaso Municipalities.

The Municipalities in the Greater Accra Region had their status elevated after the creation of about 38 new districts in 2018 by government.

A statement signed by the president, Ahmed M. Yaajalaal tasked the President Akufo-Addo to look beyond partisan considerations and popularity of the candidates and consider the abilities of the shortlisted candidates.

"On behalf of the four Ayawaso Municipalities, VOiCE Center for Local Governance, Leadership and Research is pleading to the President to appoint people with managerial skills, who have knowledge about local challenges and familiar with local problems to the able to tailor development to people of Ayawaso municipalities" the president of the group said in the statement.

They also called on government to speedily ensure that the promise of electing MMDCEs is realised without any further delays.

He added "the good news is President Akufo Addo assured Ghanaians that MMDCES would be elected upon his election. Currently, the process is far advance under the leadership of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development but, is too early to applaud the government till we see it implemented."



Read the full statement below:

The People Of Ayawaso Municipalities Want Competent MMDCEs Not Popular MMDCEs

The information reaching us by our intelligence within the government is that vetting of Ayawaso Municipalities MMDCEs aspirants is currently ongoing.

The president of the republic who believes in the grassroots direct participation in the decision making at the local government would for the last time appoint MMDCEs from the members of the ruling party of the government to the various municipalities in the country.

However, the people of Ayawaso (East, North, Central and West) Municipalities are pleading to the president to appoint competent not popular MMDCEs to the newly inaugurated municipalities.

Since the introduction of the decentralization system in 1988, MMDCEs have been appointed by the president and approved by the General Assembly to serve as the Chief Representative of the Central Government at the local level and responsible for the performance of the Executive and Administrative functions of the Assemblies. Generally, lead the Assembly in the delivery of their mandate under section 12 of the local government act 2016(Act 936).

By the above, MMDCEs becomes key representatives of the central government to exercise part of the political power already given to the President by the people of Ghana.



On behalf of the four Ayawaso Municipalities, VOiCE Center for Local Governance, Leadership and Research is pleading to the President to appoint people with managerial skills, who have knowledge about local challenges and familiar with local problems to the able to tailor development to people of Ayawaso municipalities.

The unitary nature of the country’s governance system and Article 240 of the 1992 allows the country to have an Executive President who exercise the political power from the central, decentralize it through the Regions to the local government through appointees such as Regional Ministers and Chief Executives.

The constitution requires government under Article 35(6d) to ‘make democracy a reality by decentralizing the administrative and financial machinery of government to the regions and district and by affording all possible opportunities to the people to participate in decision-making at every level in national life and in government’. However, the continuous appointment of MMDCEs by the president without the direct involvement of citizens undermines this noble constitutional right given to Ghanaians.

The good news is President Akufo Addo assured Ghanaians that MMDCES would be elected upon his election. Currently, the process is far advance under the leadership of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development but, is too early to applaud the government till we see it implemented.

Moreover, decentralization, ought to ensure reduction in bureaucracy associated with planning and coordination at central levels. However, the current mode of appointment of MMDCES does not ensure a reduction in bureaucracy congestions.

An elected MMDCE who campaigned on specific programmes and is accountable to the local people may not suffer the bureaucracy bottlenecks associated with the status quo in his quest to deliver on his promises.

As the President will consider the recommendation of the vetting committee, we hope the committee will select the competent candidates to represent the President at the various Ayawaso Municipalities.

Ahmed M. Yaajalaal President – VOiCE cglr