MEPs vie for WFD elections | Policy

Yesterday in Parliament, the debate on the draft law on the Constitution (Amendment), 2019, was deadlocked, which would allow the election of directors of metropolitan areas, municipalities and municipalities. Districts (MMDCE).

The New Patriotic Majority Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (Minority National Congress – NDC) during the debate that characterized the second reading of the bill were challenged by the amendment to section 243 (1) of the 1992 Constitution to remove the executive power of the President appoint MMDCEs.

The majority of the candidates at the central wanted the amendment to section 243 (1) which states in particular that "there must be a district chief for each district to be appointed by the president with the authority of the district. prior approval of a majority of at least two-thirds of the members of the board of directors ". the badembly present and voting at the meeting "to be amended to give the population the power to elect its own WMEDs before a referendum, following which other consequential amendments could be made to the election of the MMDCE.

According to the majority, when the first step of ceding the election power of the MMDCEs to the electorate is pbaded, the people would fulfill the commitment of the government which promised in its manifesto that it would be allowed to elect its own MMDCE to ensure better accountability at the district level.

Minority position

Haruna Iddrisu, leader of the minority, argued that in principle, the NDC of the minority was not opposed to the election of MMDCE, but that the amendment of the Constitution to allow the Election of the MMDCE was to be linked to the amendment of Article 243 (3) and Article 248 (1) and (2).

According to him, article 248 (1) states that "a candidate who wishes to be elected to a district badembly or a lower local government unit must report to the electorate as a candidate". that individual and must not use any symbol badociated with a political party; and Article 248, paragraph 2, which states that "a political party shall not approve, sponsor, offer a platform to or campaign in any way for or against a candidate who wishes to be elected to a district badembly or lower local government "must also be amended to: make sense of the amendment to Article 243 (1), which Parliament seeks to amend first.

The minority leader said that all reservations expressed by the minority should be critically examined, as the majority NPP did not have an overwhelming number of votes to get two-thirds of the votes in Parliament so that amendment be adopted.

OB Amoah

The Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, also MPP for Akwapim South, OB Amoah, accused the minority of "double standards" after supporting the election of the MMDCEs at various public forums on the subject. the subject and speaking in Parliament. House to oppose it.

He added that if the entire hierarchy of the NDC, including its national leaders, could attend various stakeholder meetings to approve such a proposal from the government and turn around to oppose this initiative, the sincerity of the opposition would be clearly in doubt.

According to him, if the power to elect the MMDCE is not conferred on the president and given to the electorate, one can not ask him if the election of the MMDCE should be partisan or not .

He therefore asked the minority to rethink its position and support the government's intention to authorize the election of MMDCE.

The first vice-president, Joseph Osei-Owusu, who presided, decided to postpone the vote at second reading because of the obvious disagreement between the majority and the minority on the search for a consensus.