Withdraw MMDCE nominees without two-thirds majority votes–CLGA

The Centre for Local Governance Advocacy (CLGA) has urged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to withdraw any of his nominees who do not meet two-thirds of the majority votes cast to confirm them.

It said all the nominees for the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) should be guided by the Constitution.

The Centre reminded Assembly Members to exercise their delegated powers from the electorate during the confirmation of nominated Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs).

A statement signed and issued by Professor Vladimir Antwi-Danso, the acting Executive Director of the CLGA, said processes for approving nominees made assemblies an Electoral College and must be exercised with due diligence, devoid of partisanship and unnecessary influence.

“MMDAs are reminded of provisions under Part 3 of revised Model Standing Orders (2019) which allows the president to nominate or re-nominate candidates as many times as they wish if candidates fails to pull the required two-thirds majority and the centre is calling on President Akufo-Addo to withdraw any candidate who fails to poll two-thirds majority of votes cast after second round of voting.

“This will give assemblies opportunity of exercising their right to get qualified alternative person as MMDCEs when Dan Botwe, the Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, on September 19, 2021, released list of all nominees for the 260 MMDAs on behalf of the government.

“Their nominations are however, subject to approval by their respective assemblies through majority vote, or, more than two-thirds of the acclamations and CLGA wishes all unsuccessful nominees will rather support and assist the work of those who sail through so as to promote growth and development,” the statement said.

It said all unsuccessful nominees should extend an olive branch to nominated MMDCEs in order to promote peace, unity, harmony, cohesion and facilitate growth and development at local level however, unsuccessful nominees are advised should also prevail upon their followers to eschew agitations and acts that would disturb the peace, unity and stability  of the country.

The statement urged the government to review the 2019 model Standing Orders for MMDAs to prevent unpopular nominees from becoming MMDCEs to reflect the situation since revision fell within the mandate of the minister responsible for local governance. –ghanaweb.com