Residents of Ga South sensitised on referendum

‘Yes’ was acclaimed by residents of Ga South Municipality in the Greater Accra Region on the impending referendum on December 17, 2019, at a Town Hall meeting held at Ngleshie Amanfro.

It was organised by the Ga South Municipal Assembly for traditional authorities, identifiable groups and other stakeholders.

The participants described the partisan district level elections as the best option to give political power to the assemblies from the president to mobilise resources towards nation building.

 Dr Nicholas Awortwi, Director, Institute of the Local Government Studies said the citizenry should take part in the referendum to take an important decision which would impact positively on them.

“The decision is to change an entrenched clause in the 1992 Constitution, where we have the right to change the entrenched clause to multi-party system at the local level, Article 243 (1), allows the president to elect Metropolitan Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), currently the bill is before parliament for amendment and approval before referendum.

“A ‘yes’ vote by the citizenry at the referendum has advantage than a ‘no’ vote since the ‘yes’ vote, will bring accelerated growth and development in local government system, the president will relinquish his power of appointing MMDCEs to the citizenry, and introduction of multi-party system into local governance, will help mobilise resources at the local level.

“Appropriate laws to ensure functions, powers, transparency, accountability, responsiveness, responsibilities and resources transferred from the government to local governance units, but the government will formulate laws and applied appropriately without any hindrance.

“The partisan system will allow the assemblies to become highest political authority at local level to mobilise towards effective and efficient development without any interferences,” Dr Awortwi assured.

 Nyarni Stephen, the Municipal Chief Executive for Ga South, observed that the partisan system would bring competency and competition between political parties, well-managed municipalities and centre of excellence in service delivery for citizenry.

BY DANIEL AMOO, NEGLESHIE AMANFRO