Referendum alone not an end to appointment of MMDCEs – NCCE
Mr. Samuel Asare Akuamoah, the Deputy Chairman, National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE)has said the upcoming referendum on the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) alone would not take away the President’s power of appointment of the executives.
He said Parliament would have to amend the non- entrenched Article 243(1) which gave power to the President to appoint MMDCEs after the referendum was held.
Mr Akuamoah said this at the Volta Regional launch of the District Level Elections (DLE) and referendum for the amendment of article 55 (3) of Ghana’s Constitution.
He called on the citizenry to encourage their Members of Parliament to support the amendment of article 243 (1) to give the electorate power to elect MMDCEs and make local government partisan.
“If you say Yes at the referendum and at the end of the day, our Parliamentarians do not amend Article 243 (1), the President still has the power to appoint our MMDCEs” he stated.
Mr Akuamoah also called on the citizenry and media to support the NCCE and the Information Services Department to sensitise the public on the impending referendum.
Mr Eric Kofi Dzakpasu, Deputy Regional Electoral Officer encouraged the citizenry to come out in their numbers and vote “Yes” during the referendum to meet the 40 per cent turn out and 75 per cent “Yes” votes required for the proposed amendment.
“We are working to make the referendum and the election free and fair” he said.
Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa, Volta Regional Minister who launched the programme said the President was committed to giving the citizens the power to elect their local government heads and also urged the citizens to come out in their numbers to vote on December 17, 2019.
The programme was jointly organised by National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Ministry for Local Government and Rural Development, Electoral Commission of Ghana and the Information Services Development (ISD).
It was attended by chiefs and queen mothers, civil society organisations and social activists among others.
Source: GNA