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A Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Obiri Boahen, has appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to revisit his proposal for the election of Metropolitan Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs).

He said the recent problems associated with the confirmation of MMDCEs had brought about once again, the need to present to Parliament, the proposal that would allow the people to elect their MMCDEs.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic last Wednesday, Nana Boahen said: “The President should not be cowed into submission by a few individuals who for their selfish interests were against that novel idea.”

Withdrawal

In the 2016 election campaign, the then NPP presidential candidate promised to ensure the election of MMDCEs if he won the elections.

He backed his words with action by initiating the process for a referendum to decide whether the 1992 Constitution should be amended to allow for political parties to actively participate in elections at the district-level, as well as the people electing their MMDCEs.

But, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) kicked against the plan, arguing that it would be counterproductive to introduce partisan politics at the local level.

Few days to the December 17, 2019 referendum, President Akufo-Addo, in a national address, announced the cancellation of the referendum.

Long overdue

Making reference to the development leading to the withdrawal of the bill, the NPP deputy general secretary said it was unfortunate that such a brilliant novelty of the people electing their MMDCEs faced opposition.


Nevertheless, he said: “It is long overdue that we elect our own MMDCEs, irrespective of the political affiliation of the candidate.”
He added: “So the President and the ruling government should be bold and once again present the bill to Parliament.”

Opposition

He said the Akufo-Addo administration had faced opposition to some of its brilliant policies but had stood its ground to implement them, and the positive results were there for all to attest to.

Consequently, he urged the government to disregard the little opposition some people would put up when the bill was sent back to Parliament.


“Imagine when we were implementing the free Senior High School and when we were creating new regions, the opposition we faced from some people: yet our President stood firm and the results have been massively positive.”

“So everything that you do, people will oppose it, so you don’t have to say that everybody will accept it,” Nana Boahen said.
 
Guan District

Nana Boahen also expressed delight about the creation of the Guan District in the Oti Region recently.

“It will stop the unnecessary political stint. People thought, rather unfortunately, that the delay in creating the district was an attempt to marginalise the people of the area,” he stated.