ChaLoG champions election of MMDCEs

By: Ernest Afram

The President of the Chamber for Local Governance (ChaLoG), Mr. Richard Fiadomo, has declared strong support for calls to elect Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), arguing that such a move will significantly improve local accountability, reduce partisan interference, and enhance long-term development planning.

Mr. Fiadomo’s comments come in the wake of renewed national attention on local governance reform, following remarks by President John Mahama during an orientation program for newly appointed MMDCEs in Accra.

President Mahama reiterated his commitment to ensuring that MMDCEs are eventually elected, subject to the necessary legal and constitutional reforms.

In an interview with the media, Mr. Fiadomo said the time had come for Ghana to fully embrace democratic decentralization by allowing citizens to directly elect their local government leaders.

“When MMDCEs are appointed by the President, their primary accountability tends to be to the appointing authority and not the people they serve. This undermines the core principles of local governance, which are based on grassroots participation, accountability, and responsiveness,” he stated.

He explained that elected MMDCEs would have clearly defined terms of office and a political mandate from their constituents, giving them the freedom and legitimacy to pursue policies and development plans that reflect the specific needs of their communities.

Mr. Fiadomo pointed out that the current system often results in political interference in decision-making at the local level, with many Chief Executives acting more as party representatives than as development-oriented leaders.

He also referred to Article 55(3) of the 1992 Constitution, which prohibits political parties from participating in local-level elections. According to him, while the intention of that provision was to promote nonpartisan governance at the local level, in practice, it has done little to remove political influence from district administration.

“Even under the current supposedly nonpartisan framework, appointments are largely influenced by party loyalty. Electing MMDCEs, with a proper legal framework to regulate the process, will create a more transparent, competitive, and effective local government system,” Mr. Fiadomo said.

ChaLoG believes that transitioning to an electoral system for MMDCEs will also reduce political tensions and empower communities to demand better services from their leaders.

Mr. Fiadomo has urged government, Parliament, civil society, and traditional authorities to renew discussions on the matter and build consensus for constitutional reforms that would make the election of MMDCEs a reality.

“The benefits far outweigh the challenges. It is about time we took this bold step forward,” he emphasized.