By Evans Worlanyo Ameamu, GNA
Keta (VR), June 20, GNA-Residents at Keta in the Volta Region have expressed support for President John Mahama’s call for Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to be elected in the subsequent years.
This move was described by many as a step in a right direction towards promoting local governance and democracy at the doorstep of every Ghanaian citizen.
Mr. Isaac Dogbeda Dugah, social activist at Keta, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said the election of MMDCEs would be crucial for promoting accountability and transparency in local governance.
That, he said, would allow citizens to have a say in who leads their districts and ensure that leaders are accountable to the people they serve.
“The call for the election of MMDCEs is a significant move that will deepen democracy and promote good governance at the district level,” he said.
He explained that President Mahama has been a strong advocate for the election of MMDCEs with the believe that it would promote local governance and ensure that leaders are accountable to their own people directly at the grassroot level with special scrutiny as well.
He said some benefits of electing MMDCEs include promotion of local governance, accountability, and transparency and would allow citizens to have a say in the development of their districts and ensures that leaders are responsible to the needs of the people.
“We believe that electing MMDCEs will promote local governance and ensure that leaders are accountable to us. We are eager to exercise our right to elect our leaders and promote development and progress in districts,” Mr. Dugah said.
Mrs. Ama Adzorlolo, fashion designer, also told the GNA that the election of MMDCEs would have a significant impact on local governance to promote proper transparency, and responsiveness to the needs of the people and allowing citizens to elect their leaders to ensure that leaders are accountable to the people and not just to the central government.
She said the call to elect MMDCEs was a step towards promoting local governance and democracy, and many residents have expressed their support for the initiative, which is expected to promote progress in governance at local level to benefit communities.
She added that, “if this initiative is implemented successfully, it can promote local governance and ensure that leaders are accountable to the people, it can also lead to improved development outcomes to enhanced citizen participation in local governance.”
Mr. Anthony Dagadu, governance expert, also expressed satisfaction about the call which would alleviate some workloads on the central government and provide total power to eligible voters to decide.
Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama, during the opening of the 2025 orientation programme for MMDCEs, on Wednesday, June 18, in Accra, disclosed that MMDCEs could be elected from 2026 as part of planned reforms in the local government which include direct election and greater financial control for local assemblies.
He said the recent public surveys conducted revealed that a good number of Ghanaians support the change which suggested that the current MMDCEs may be the last batch to be appointed.
GNA
Edited by: Maxwell Awumah/Benjamin Mensah