Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development Mr Dan Botwe has finally released the full list of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief (MMDCEs) nominated by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo after months of speculation and agitation.
The minister who is also the Member of Parliament for Okere in the Eastern Region released the list at the Information Minister’s press briefing in Accra yesterday.
Mr Dan Botwe announced that the list has been forwarded to the various regional ministers who are expected to contact the Electoral Commission (EC) to commence processes for assembly elections on the various nominees.
According to him, the list has been thoroughly vetted and that all the people who made it are competent to represent the President at the local level.
He asked Ghanaians, particularly the supporters of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to accept the list in good faith and abstain from violence, should their preferred candidate not be selected.
MMDCEs are appointed by the President with not less than two-thirds of the Assembly present and voting in the meeting as stipulated by Article 243 of the 1992 Constitution.
When approved, they will provide political and administrative leadership in the country’s local government architecture.
Mr Dan Botwe entreated the newly nominated MMDCEs to bring onboard their expertise and work hard at transform local governance when approved by the various assemblies.
Under pressure
Nine months in to the second term of the Akufo-Addo government, the president came under pressure over the delay in appointing new MMDCEs.
However, the Office of the President rejected claims that the delay in appointing MMDCEs is impeding development at the local government level in any way.
Notable among the nominees are the Ashanti Regional Secretary of the governing NPP, Mr. Sam Pyne who will soon be the Mayor of Kumasi.
Mr Sam Pyne is expected to take over from the outgoing Mayor, Mr. Osei Assibey Antwi.
Another prominent nominee is the former Member of Parliament (MP) for Nhyiaeso, Kennedy Kamkam, who has been nominated as the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) for Asokore Mampong in the same region.
Again, former Deputy Greater Accra Regional Minister, Madam Elizabeth Sackey has been nominated as Mayor of Accra.
She will be taking over from Mohammed Adjei Sowah, who has been serving in that position since 2017.
