Akufo-Addo to re-visit plan to have MMDCEs elected

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has served notice to revisit the decision to have Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) elected in Ghana.

This was after his earlier decision was rejected by some Ghanaians including members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Speaking at the opening ceremony of a four-day capacity training for MMDCEs on Tuesday October 26, Mr Akufo-Addo said “…The matter will be brought back again to the front burner.”

Mr Akufo-Addo in 2019 put on hold plans that would also allow for the election of MMDCEs as he promised ahead of the 2016 elections.

He ordered for the withdrawal of a Bill that was seeking to amend Article 243(1) of the Constitution which allows the President to appoint MMDCEs.

In a national address where he announced the cancellation of the December 17, 2019 referendum that was to decide on an amendment of Article 55 (3) of the Constitution to enable political parties to participate in local level elections.

“It is with deep regret that I have given instructions to the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development …to abort the process and see to the withdrawal of the Bills for the amendment of the Constitutions both in respect of Article 243 (1) and Article 55 (3).”

Whilst the President attributed the decision to cancel the referendum to the absence of “a durable national consensus” on the matter, he did not explain why the Bill to amend Article 243 (1) was also withdrawn despite the fact that it had seeming bipartisan backing.