Time to pass amendment bill on MMDCEs

Decentralisation has been practised for many years in Ghana. But a more decisive step to involve the people in decision-making at the local level was taken in 1988 when the then government initiated a policy to create a framework for the effective participation of the people and efficient devolution of human and financial resources at the district level.

At that time Ghana was not under democratic rule and the district assemblies operated strictly on non-partisan basis. Even under the Fourth Republican Constitution, which prescribes an Executive Presidency and a multi-party political system, the district assemblies still operate on a non-partisan basis.

But, over the years, and especially when the 1992 Constitution was promulgated, major arguments have been raised as to the appropriateness of the current decentralisation and local governance system. Although some significant progress has been made, some governance institutions and experts have called for improvement for participatory governance and local democracy to be deepened.

One such concern is to elect metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) on a partisan basis, to be in line with the mode of electing national level officers.

The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, in 2017, initiated a process to make the necessary constitutional, legal, policy and institutional changes required to give effect to its 2016 campaign promise to elect MMDCEs on a partisan basis.

In President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s 2018 State of the Nation Address (SoNA) to Parliament, he stated his government’s commitment to elect MMDCEs on a partisan basis.

He again reiterated his commitment to ensure the election of MMDCEs in his 2019 SoNA to Parliament.

But to elect MMDCEs on a partisan basis requires the amendment of Article 243(1), which is a non-entrenched provision, and the amendment of an entrenched provision, Article 55(3), both of which Parliament is currently considering and are yet to be passed.

That is why the Daily Graphic would like to share in the concerns expressed by the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), Hajia Alima Mahama, for Parliament to take urgent steps to pass the amendment bill of Article 243(1).

Speaking to the Daily Graphic in an interview (see front page for the story), the minister stressed that “the time is now and not later and we want Parliament to pass the amendment bill of Article 243(1) to send out a strong signal that MMDCEs will now to be elected”.

With only five months to the referendum on the election of MMDCEs, the Daily Graphic would also like to add its voice to that of the minister and request Parliament not to delay further but work speedily and assiduously to pass the amendment bill of Article 243(1) which is currently before it.

It is worthy to note that the NPP government has taken the initiative to pass legislation to make the election of MMDCEs a reality

This is in sync with arguments that elected MMDCEs will be more accountable to the people, as the current arrangement where these officials are appointed by the President largely seeks the interest of the Executive.

We see the passage of the amendment bill as critical, as it will indicate the country’s readiness to organise the referendum on the election of MMDCEs, scheduled for December this year.

For us, this is one of the moments when Parliament must adopt a bi-partisan approach to allow for the deepening of local democracy in the country.

Our democracy has come a long way and we believe it is this, among others, that will ensure good governance practices and help accelerate national development.

Parliament must act with dispatch, then.