CLGA and GACC
THE CENTRE for Local Governance Advocacy (CLGA) and Ghana Anti –Corruption Coalition (GACC) have appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo to add the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) to the newly-constituted Cabinet.
The plea was contained in a joint press release issued on Wednesday and signed by the CLGA acting Executive Director, Dr Vladimir Antwi Danso.
While commending the President for his release of the list of Cabinet ministers to Parliament in line with Article 76 (1) of the 1992, the two civil society organizations (CSOs) indicated that the exclusion of MLGRD from the list of cabinet ministers was rather unfortunate considering the key role of the MLGRD in the promotion of local governance processes at the grassroots level.
They said although Article 76 (1) of the 1992 Constitution mandated the President to determine which persons formed part of his Cabinet, the CSOs were of the opinion that the exclusion of the MLGRD from the list was unfortunate especially considering the fact that the sector took governance to the doorsteps of the people,” they remarked.
They wondered how government was going to achieve maximum results for its flagship programmes which included the ‘One District, One Factory’ and ‘One Village, One Dam’ policies, the Zongo Development Fund, and the election of the Metropolitan, Municipal District Chief Executives (MMDCEs).
They said they foresaw challenging times for the allied ministries established by government to oversee the President’s flagship programmes without the MLGRD which had established its medium term development plans (MTDPs) with the MMDAs.
“On the back of history and precedence, the MLGRD has featured prominently since 2000 in the successive government’s cabinet which has adequately aided inclusive and sustainable development as a layer of government closet to the people.
Further making a case in defense of their plea based on Article 35(6) (d) of the 1992 constitution, they stated that the MLGRD is a government machinery which gives true meaning to the constitutional provision and offers opportunities for citizens from all walks of life to participate in governance through the MMDAs.
BY Solomon Ofori