Delay in the nomination of MMDCs won’t affect development - Govt
General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu, says the team that was put together to vet Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executive aspirants has completed its work and submitted its report to the President.
Nana Ama Asiedu Francisca 
Government says the delay in the nomination of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives [MMCEs] for the various assemblies will not have adverse impact on the development at the local government level.
This follows concerns by some analysts in the sector that the delay will set the infrastructural clock of the assemblies backwards.
Local Governance Expert, Issaka Amon Kotei has said the decision will lead to the disbursement of the district assembly common fund been overdue for at least one year but the government has rejected this assertion.
The Deputy Minister for Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development, Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah said, though the delay is undue, however, the government is working on the nomination list.
He added that, despite the delay, the assemblies are working as caretakers MMDC’s are still supervising ongoing projects in their respective assemblies. The Member of Parliament for Techiman South further urged Ghanaians to exercise restraint as the President will soon bring out the list.
Meanwhile, the General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu, says the team that was put together to vet Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executive aspirants has completed its work and submitted its report to the President.
Speaking to the media, Mr Boadu said the committee did a very thorough job.
In explaining what accounted for the delay in settling on the selected persons, he said the committee needed to have a fair balance of experienced hands together with youthful ones, as well as those who were on the ground.
“The committee has finished and presented its report to the president. There is the need to ensure gender balance, the infusion of youthful people, and also to respond to local dynamics and ethnic backgrounds as well.”
Many Ghanaians have expressed disquiet over the long delay in the appointment of MMDCEs.
One of such persons is the Member of Parliament for Banda, Ahmed Ibrahim.
He believes Ghanaians are losing as a result of the delay in the appointment of MMDCEs as it affecting local governance.
“The ordinary Ghanaian is losing out because of the inability of the President to appoint MMDCEs,” Mr Ibrahim said in a media interview.
He stressed that “as soon as possible, he [President Akufo-Addo] must appoint MMDCEs all over.”
Mr Ibrahim, the Ranking Member on the Local Government and Rural Development Committee of Parliament, said certain infrastructural projects require the attention of the local assemblies.
“The people are suffering because of the inefficient or ineffective way of appointing the MMDCEs. If the MMDCEs were to be at post, the President would have sent the first quarter and second quarter funds for people to be benefiting.”
Per Article 243 (1) of the 1992 Constitution, the District Chief Executive for every district 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 a meeting.
