The Africa Development Council (ADC) has voiced strong opposition to the proposed election of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in Ghana, arguing that the nation’s unitary governance structure necessitates presidential appointees to ensure policy coherence and national unity. This stance follows the Cabinet’s approval of reforms aimed at allowing citizens to elect MMDCEs on a non-partisan basis, a departure from the current system of presidential appointment.
Context of Proposed Reforms
Dr. Gameli Kewuribe Hoedoafia, Executive Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation, recently disclosed that these reforms seek to amend Article 243(1) of the 1992 Constitution. Currently, this article empowers the President to appoint MMDCEs, subject to the approval of two-thirds of Assembly Members present and voting.
The ADC, a non-profit organization focused on promoting sustainable industrial development in Africa, believes that the President’s choice must be represented at the district level through MMDCEs. The Council views the prospect of electing these officials as counterproductive to national development goals.
Arguments Against Elected MMDCEs
The ADC’s primary argument rests on Ghana’s unitary system, where governmental authority flows from the central government to local units, unlike federal states with more autonomous regions. Since the President is elected to implement a national agenda, MMDCEs should act as direct conduits between the Presidency and district assemblies.
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