GCPP lauds government’s plan to involve parties in local governance

The Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) has commended the President Akufo-Addo-led government for the bold decision to amend some provisions in the 1992 Constitution to allow political parties to participate in district level elections and the governance process.

The party said this would fulfil the constitutional obligation of reinforcing multi-party democracy in the country.

Mr John Kwadzo Amekah, the 2012 and 2016 vice presidential candidate of the party, gave the commendation in an interview with the GNA in Accra.

Lip service

He said over the years, successive governments had paid lip service to the call for the involvement of political parties in district level governance, adding that the Government’s decision was in tandem with the Constitution.

The Government, in February 2019, laid a Bill before Parliament seeking to amend the 1992 Constitution for the election of metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs).

The articles identified for amendment are Article 243(1) on the appointment of MMDCEs by the President and Article 55(3), which prohibits the involvement of political parties in district level elections.

Mr Amekah, also a former Deputy-General Secretary of the defunct Democratic Freedom Party, urged traditional authorities and civil society organisations to support the national referendum in September, this year.

Appeal

He appealed to the Local Government and Rural Development Ministry that would put up constitutional instruments and legislation after the election of people to the assemblies to avoid laws that would create a lopsided playing field to cripple those elected.

He was of the belief that those who would be elected would put up their best performances to enable them to be re-elected, which would ultimately accelerate socio-economic development at the local level.

Mr Amekah applauded the government’s social intervention programmes and cited the Free Senior High School policy, saying that it had reduced financial burden on parents because in the past they struggled to find money to pay their children’s school fees.

He said the recent celebration of the 62nd Independence Day parade at Tamale on March 6, somehow deepened the peace in the Dagbon traditional area after the successful resolution of the age-long chieftaincy dispute and bridged the gap existing between the northern part of the country and the south. - GNA