Hajia Alima Mahama
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama, has indicated that the processes to ensure the elections of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) are well on course.
According to her, the elections were likely to take place between June and July 2021.
She made this known to the media on Wednesday in Accra at the Meet the Press Series of the Information Ministry.
In her address to the media, the Minister announced the roadmap on elections of MMDCEs.
The elections, she said, were part of efforts aimed at deepening the democratic process of the country.
According to her, the amendment Bill of Article 243 (1) on appointment of MMDCEs has been approved by Cabinet, Gazetted, laid in Parliament.
She added that the Bill has been referred to the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament.
Strategy
Madam Alima Mahama indicated that
a National Campaign Strategy has been developed to facilitate a successful national referendum.
The Minister explained that the referendum would be conducted alongside the District Level Elections in December 2019.
She stated emphatically that “a Bill to amend Article 55 (3) of the Constitution to pave way for the participation of political parties in district level elections, was approved by Cabinet, forwarded to Mr. Speaker, then to the Council of State for advice, was published in the Gazette, matured on 24th May, and laid in Parliament for first reading on 28th May, 2019.”
Consultations
The Local Government Ministry, she explained, has conducted series of stakeholders’ sensitization and consultations in all the 16 regions.
She indicated the stakeholders: groups met included: the Parliamentary Select Committee on Local Government, National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), the Electoral Commission (EC), National House of Chiefs, Political Parties, Christian Council, Federation of Muslim Councils in Ghana and Professional and Civil Society groups.
She said “the roadmap on election of MMDCE has been designed to be implemented in four (4) phases: Pre-Referendum Phase, Referendum Phase, Post Referendum Phase, Change Management and Capacity Building Phase.”
Ghana has been implementing the decentralisation and local government system since 1988.
BY Melvin Tarlue