The government sets on December 10 the referendum on the election of the MMDCE

General News on Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Source: citinewsroom.com

2019-05-29

The government has declared that its commitment to organize a constitutional election of the directors of municipalities, municipalities and districts (MMDCE) is under way.

To this end, he indicated that the Electoral Commission (EC) had organized a referendum for the polls on Tuesday, 10 December 2019.

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama, who made the announcement during a meeting with the media, said that the road map for the development of the different phases of the election of the MMDCE was under way development.

She explained that various stakeholders have been consulted across the country for consultations and has therefore urged all Ghanaians to take part in the exercise.

"Preparations have been going on for two years. We started working on processes. The Committee also identified the need to adopt a road map and to raise awareness and consultations. We have successfully consulted with stakeholders in all regions of the country.

"The MMDCE election campaign roadmap was designed to be implemented in four phases: pre-referendum phase, post-referendum phase, change management phase and capacity building. The electoral commission set December 10 for the referendum, "she said.

The election of the MMDCE was a major promise of the NPP campaign in the run-up to the 2016 elections.

The government recently took another step in the process by introducing a bill in Parliament.

It was after Professor Oquaye, Speaker of Parliament, had referred the original bill to the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs for consideration and report.

The bill, which aims to amend an article of the constitution as it is adopted, will allow for the constitution of an elected MMDCES on a partisan basis.

The first bill sought to amend section 243 (1) of the Constitution to provide for the election of a district chief by universal adult suffrage.

Its approval by law will put an end to the current constitutional arrangement that authorizes the President to appoint MMDCEs.

What the law says

Article 243 (1) of the 1992 Constitution provides: "There shall be one district chief per district, appointed by the president with the prior approval of a two-thirds majority of the members of the badembly present and voting. during a meeting."

After the deliberation, the committee will recommend to the House either to pbad the bill or to reject it.