President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said he needed a broader consultation before the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) were selected to man the local governance of the country.
President Akufo-Addo who was on a two-day official visit to the Bono East Region said in a radio interview that there was the need to solicit the ideas of party leaders, chiefs and opinion leaders among others on the selection of the MMDCEs.
He had earlier inaugurated the Regional Administration block of the Department of Feeder Roads at Prang in the Pru West District.
“The committee I constituted to solicit the ideas of the masses at the local level have presented their report to me and that Ghanaians should be rest assured to hear from me soon. I urge the assembly members in the various districts to endorse my nominees,” he stated.
President Akufo-Addo was worried about how his campaign on the election of MMDCEs did not materialise saying that it was to the benefit of our country, adding “we have to vote for our choice of leaders at the local level.”
“Though my opponents rejected my campaign to elect MMDCEs on non-partisan bases, I think it is good if the country revisits it. Let us give the chance to residents in the localities to vote for their choice of leaders,” President Akufo-Addo said.
At a meeting with the chiefs and people of the Techiman Traditional Council (TTC), the Paramount Chief, Oseadeayo Akumfi Ameyaw IV, thanked President Akufo-Addo for the creation of the Bono East Region to accelerate development in the area.
Oseadeayo Akumfi Ameyaw IV, who is also the Bono East Regional representative on the Council of State, lauded the President for livelihood empowerment programmes namely the Planting for Food and Jobs and Planting for Export and Rural Development, among others.
The paramount chief appealed for the construction of an airport, regional hospital at Techiman, construction of a dual carriage road to help ease traffic congestion in the municipality saying that “I will be happy if the Booyem road is fixed for me.”
Addressing the gathering, President Akufo-Addo promised to fix deplorable roads in the municipality, adding that “I will discuss your plea with the various ministries concerned to address them.”
President Akufo-Addo also inaugurated the Senior Staff bungalows of the Bono East Regional Co-ordinating Council at Techiman.
FROM EMMANUEL ADU GYAMFI, TECHIMAN