The Chamber for Local Governance (ChaLoG) has expressed worry about the seeming delay by the President in nominating MMDCEs after seven months into his administration in his second term.
A Press statement by ChaLoG contended that the delay in the nomination of the MMDCEs speaks to the lack of commitment of the President towards deepening local government practice in Ghana.
“ChaLoG, therefore, finds the unproductive delay in nominating the MMDCEs by the President as sign of the non prioritisation and the seeming lack of interest in the proper functionality of the Local Governance Structures in this country,” the statement said.
It would be recalled that the Chief of Staff in a letter issued in January on behalf of the President directed all MMDCEs to continue to remain at post but were expressly warned not to take any major financial decision nor award any contracts until such a time that new MMDCEs were nominated and subsequently confirmed.
It added: “As a result of this directive, all the MMDAs across the country have not undertaken any new projects even though they continue to collect Property Rates, Business Operating Permits, Markets and Lorry Tolls from rate payers, yet no capital projects are being undertaken by the Assemblies seven (7) months into the year 2021.”
But ChaLoG has called on the President to urgently come to terms with the negative impact of his actions and immediately nominate MMDCEs for the 260 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) across the country.
Below is the full statement
CHAMBER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (ChaLoG)
P. O BOX SK 330, SAKUMONO ESTATES, TEMA
PRESS RELEASE
25TH JULY, 2020.
DELAY IN NOMINATING MMDCEs – PRESIDENT SIMPLY NOT COMMITTED TO DEPEENING LOCAL GOVERNANCE PRACTICE IN GHANA – ChaLoG
The Chamber for Local Governance (ChaLoG) has noted with grave apprehension the unnecessary and unproductive processes being employed by the President in nominating MMDCEs for the 260 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) across the country, seven (7) months down the lane.
This unnecessary delay by the President has had and continues to have intended and unintended consequences on the smooth administration of the various MMDAs.
Ghanaians would recall that soon after the President was sworn into office on 7th January, 2021, he caused the Chief of Staff to direct all MMDCEs to continue to remain at post but were expressly warned not to take any major financial decision nor award any contracts until such a time that new MMDCEs were nominated and subsequently confirmed by two-thirds majority of Assembly Members present and voting.
As a result of this directive, all the MMDAs across the country have not undertaken any new projects even though they continue to collect Property Rates, Business Operating Permits, Markets and Lorry Tolls from rate payers, yet no capital projects are being undertaken by the Assemblies seven (7) months into the year 2021.
ChaLoG can authoritatively state without any iota of doubt that the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) which is meant to support the MMDAs to undertake development projects have also not been released to the MMDAs the whole of this year, all as a consequence of the unnecessary and unwarranted delay in nominating MMDCEs.
ChaLoG therefore finds the unproductive delay in nominating the MMDCEs by the President as sign of the non prioritisation and the seeming lack of interest in the proper functionality of the Local Governance Structures in this country.
It would be recalled that this same President nominated MMDCEs in April, 2017 when he was sworn into office to serve his first term of office.
It is against this backdrop that, ChaLoG is completely at a loss why it has taken the same President seven (7) months to make this very same nomination of MMDCEs for confirmation this time around.
ChaLoG wishes to call on the President to urgently come to terms with the negative impact his actions and inactions which has led to the delay in nominating MMDCEs to be confirmed by the Hon Assembly Members, is having on the smooth administration of the MMDAs.
ChaLoG is therefore deeply worried that, this singular act of the President has and continues to negatively erode the gains made over the years in deepening local governance in this country.
Long Live Ghana
Long Live Local Governance
Long Live ChaLoG
Signed
Dr. Richard Fiadomor President 0243138633
Hon. Romeo Elikplim Akahoho Executive Secretary 0244967680
Hon Alhaji Ibrahim F. Faila Public Relations Officer 0244237456
Ing. Joshua Quist Director of Research 0546456940
Cc
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