MMDCEs position can be advertised after referendum debacle – Ace Ankomah

Ace Ankomah, a legal practitioner has
proffered possible solutions to the proposed election of Metropolitan,
Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), which has been characterised
by confusion, misinformation and misconception.
He observed that nothing stops the president
from advertising the positions, if he is determined, dedicated and committed to
give equal opportunity to the citizenry saying, “when it comes to the
MMDCEs, nothing stops the president from advertising the positions for the
citizenry to apply for the jobs.
“Then we can conduct intensive job interviews
and settle on the best people for the jobs, if the assemblies are truly
involved in the interview and selection processes, the two-thirds vote needed to
confirm shouldn’t be a challenge since the framers of our much-maligned 1992
Constitution were sufficiently smart to demand super majorities for any attempt
to amend the constitution.
“Non-entrenched clauses require two-thirds
majority of Members of Parliament, require referendum with minimum 40 per cent
voter turnout and with 75 per cent of them voting “yes” but when it comes to our constitution, you either
build broad consensus with the opposition and everyone, or forget it.
“When we are ready to amend the
constitution, we will give winning party the two-thirds majority in parliament
and signal we are ready to give 75 per cent of 40 per cent popular vote
required, till then, we are stuck with the document, let’s do the best we can
with it when it comes to MMDCEs, nothing stops a president from advertising
positions for the citizenry to apply for the jobs,” Mr Ankomah proposed.
Currently, Article 55(3) of the 1992
Constitution bars political parties from participating in district level elections,
the provision can only be amended through referendum where at least 40 per cent
of persons entitled to vote, cast their ballots at referendum and at least 75
percent of votes should be in favour of passing the Bill.
A referendum was to decide on amendment of
Article 55 (3) of the constitution to enable political parties to participate
in local level elections but the president in a national address on Sunday said
there was no “durable national consensus” on the matter and cancelled the
referendum. -ghanaweb.com