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General News on Tuesday, January 22, 2019
Source: Graphic.com.gh
2019-01-22
Hajia Alima Mahama
A referendum to amend the Constitution to allow the election of Directors of Metropolitan Areas, Municipalities and Districts (MMDCE) is expected to take place in parallel with the district level elections in September 2019.
The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama, who reported this in Accra yesterday, said the Electoral Commission (EC) would decide the exact date of the elections.
She explained that the referendum would seek to amend Article 55 (3) of the 1992 Constitution to allow for the election of MMDCES, a request that was approved by most political parties, as well as by civil society organizations.
Article 55 (3) of the 1992 Constitution, which is an entrenched provision, states that "Subject to the provisions of this article, a political party is free to participate in the formation of the political will of the people, disseminate information on national political ideas, social and economic programs; and sponsor candidates for election to a public office other than district bademblies or lower local administrative units. "
She explained that the referendum would seek to amend Article 55 (3) of the 1992 Constitution to allow for the election of MMDCES, a request that was approved by most political parties, as well as by civil society organizations.
Article 55 (3) of the 1992 Constitution, which is an entrenched provision, states that "Subject to the provisions of this article, a political party is free to participate in the formation of the political will of the people, disseminate information on national political ideas, social and economic programs; and sponsor candidates for election to a public office other than district bademblies or lower local administrative units. "
Pre-referendum procedures
Hajia Mahama, who spoke at a workshop aimed at sensitizing professional organizations to the roadmap for the election of MMDCE, said that a bill to change The article had been approved by the Cabinet and sent to the Speaker of Parliament, who had also sent it. Council of State for opinion.
She said that once approved by referendum, the bill would be returned to Parliament for it to be pbaded and sanctioned by the president.
According to the Constitution, she stated that the amendment required 40% of the people entitled to vote in Ghana and 75% of the turnout required to vote in favor of the bill in order to bring this amendment .
In addition, she added that other legal and correlative frameworks and policies would be amended to ensure that all procedures were in accordance with the laws and regulations of the country.
After the amendment, Hajia Mahama announced that the first group of MMDCEs would be elected in September 2021, after which a nationwide capacity building and change management program would be organized for local bademblies.
Promote democracy
Although the current mode of appointment of MMDCEs has existed since 1988, this arrangement did not promote good governance, local democracy and accountability, which was what the population aspired to.
Hajia Mahama said that while promoting democracy by giving local people the opportunity to choose their own leaders, the MMDCEs would, among other things, be more responsive and directly accountable to the people.
"The elections will make the MMDCEs take their work very seriously and ensure that the public administration is diligent," she said.
While some concerns, such as segregation by opposition political parties, appear eminent, she said some of the disadvantages could be minimized by consequential amendments to existing laws.
She said that the sensitization meetings, which were part of the roadmap for the election of MMDCEs, were aimed at educating the public about the nature, political orientations and form of decentralization in Ghana.
She urged Ghanaians to vote in large numbers during the referendum to ensure the election of MMDCEs and urged the media to contribute to public education about the processes.
Concerns of participants
Some workshop participants commended the government for this initiative and expressed the hope that competent people would be elected as MMDCEs.
Stella Aku Addo, National Director of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Suppliers, congratulated the government for its decision: "This will make the WMDRMs more accountable and more vigilant".
For its part, the president of the Institute of Internal Auditors, Ms. Juliet Aboagye – Wiafe, said that Ghana needed competent people, able to change the population and not people overshadowed by "cascades of popularity. Usually played with the selection of members. of Parliament.
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