‘Election of MMDCEs will fine-tune democratic governance’
Simon Osei-Mensah, the Ashanti Regional Minister, has observed that the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) is a necessity if the country is to broaden the base of her democratic dispensation.
“We need on board the active participation of all the political parties in our growth and development processes, especially at the district level, for sustainable political stability, peace and socio-economic development and growth.
“The impending December 17, 2019, referendum on Article 55 (3) is a crucial exercise since it sought to fine-tune the entrenched provision in the 1992 Constitution, which barred the involvement of political parties in the district level elections, we should not act as hypocrites since the district level elections come with their own political undertones,” Mr Osei-Mensah stressed.
The regional minister made the observation when he addressed a training workshop for district information officers and cinema operators of the Information Services Department (ISD) in the Ashanti Region.
“We will, on December 17, this year have the opportunity to either reject or endorse a change in the entrenched clause to pave way for the involvement of political parties in the election of assembly and unit committee members, to achieve the amendment, however, a critical minimum of over 40 per cent turn-out with over 75 per cent endorsement is required.
“The government, taking cognisance of the significance of grassroots participation in democratic dispensation has, as a result, resolved to give the requisite technical and material support and assistance to institutions mandated to create awareness on the impending referendum.
“The election of MMDCEs will, among other issues, promote transparency, probity and accountability in democracy, governance, rule of law and bring an end to the ‘winner-takes-all’ syndrome, which has dominated the political landscape under the Fourth Republican Constitution,” Mr Osei-Mensah indicated.
Nana Akrasi Sarpong, the Regional Director of ISD, described the impending referendum as a litmus test for staff of the department, and urged them to work assiduously towards a peaceful and successful exercise. -GNA
