Gladys Tetteh (middle) addressing the gathering
The Centre for Local Governance Advocacy (CLGA), a civil society group operating in Accra, has lauded President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for appointing nine women to serve in his government.
Addressing journalists on Wednesday at a press conference held at its headquarters in Adentan, Accra, Gladys Gillian Naadu Tetteh, Deputy Executive Director of CLGA, urged the President to ensure that many women are nominated as deputy ministers and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs).
“On behalf of CLGA, I propose to the President to appoint two women for the position of Metropolitan Chief Executive which has six available seats to be occupied, 15 out of the 49 Municipal seats and 65 out of the 161 DCE positions.
Ms. Tetteh, who was also a former Presiding Member of the Adentan Municipal Assembly, also appealed to the President to fast-track the appointment of MMDCEs to ensure effective and efficient administration of the respective MMDAs.
She explained that it would go a long way to enhance policy decisions, especially those relating to procurement and authorization.
While calling on the President, Parliament and the incoming Local Government Minister Local Government to take a second look at the Local Government Act 2016 (Act 936), which was passed last year, she said that the Act has a couple provisions, which need to be amended.
She mentioned that Section 2.2 of the Act mandates the Electoral Commission (EC) to review the areas of authority under the Metropolitan District Council, Urban Council, Town Council, Area Council and Unit Committees, among others.
The Deputy Director explained that the local governance system in this new dispensation would greatly suffer without the Zonal Council.
Speaking on recent developments relating to the President’s creation of Ministries, she called on government to be wary of duplicity of functions.
“In as much as we appreciate explanations regarding the ministerial positions, we also are of the opinion that government ensures coordination of the process so that Ghanaians will benefit from his good intentions to make Ghana work again,” she stated.
By Solomon Ofori