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Metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) have been challenged to leave their comfort zones and work towards ensuring that projects initiated meet the needs and aspirations of the people.

The Vice-President, Mr Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, explained that it was incumbent on MMDCEs to realise that they served as a link between the people at the grass-roots level and the government for which reason they owed it a duty to be accountable to the governed.

He was addressing a three-day retreat for MMDCEs in the northern sector of the country in Tamale last Friday. The retreat ended yesterday.
Personalities

The event, which had a former Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Kwamena Ahwoi, a former Information Minister, Mr Kofi Totobi-Quakyi, and a leading member of the National Democratic Congress, Ms Faustina Nelson, as resource persons, was designed to give a new orientation the MMDCEs would apply to their tasks and for them not to stay disconnected from the people.

Also in attendance were the Chief of Staff, Mr Julius Debrah, the Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna, his deputy, Alhaji A.B.A Fuseini, the Upper

East Regional Minister, Mr James Tiigah, and his deputy, Mr Daniel A. Syme, and the Local Government Minister, Alhaji Collins Dauda.

Regional minister
In his welcome address, Alhaji Limuna urged the MMDCEs to accord the retreat a pride of place since it would impact positively on their performance.

He said the government was committed to strengthening local government administration and its success largely depended on the effectiveness of the chief executives in their respective districts and that their actions and inaction would determine how well they performed.

Arrogance
Mr Amissah-Arthur cautioned the MMDCEs that the government would not entertain any form of arrogance from the appointees, adding that the perception of the citizenry about the conduct of politicians was key to giving a particular government a good image and thus asked chief executives to eschew negative behaviours.

The Vice-President further advised them to desist from leading lives that had the semblance of profligacy, stressing that such traits would not be countenanced.

He expressed concern that the conflicts that often arose between MMDCEs and Members of Parliament did not augur well for development and called for a stop to them.