The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has accused government of dilly-dallying and taking undue advantage of the status quo in implementing its promised policy of the election of chief executives for the various municipal, metropolitan and district assemblies.
The second largest opposition party in the country says the government wants “to implement the election of MMDCEs policy in its own time”.
“We take this opportunity to again, demand from the NPP administration, the clear road map for the election of MMDCEs, which we believe is the only genuine way to give power back to the people.”
These were contained in a statement released by the party on Tuesday.
The statement signed by National Chairman Nii Allotey Brew-Hammond accused the Akufo-Addo-led government of subverting “the spirit and letter of the fiscal decentralisation policy and an abuse of executive powers” with the new distribution formula of the District Assemblies Common Fund as approved by Parliament.
“It is obvious that the Akufo-Addo Administration talks decentralization when it is politically expedient but practices centralization when no one is watching, just like what the NDC in power did.”
It called on Members of Parliament to be diligent in making sure that the Fund is distributed “based on an open and transparent formula approved by parliament”.
It noted that the sheer influence by the executive in the management of the Fund only justifies the party’s call for the independence of the local authorities by the election of their chief executives.
“The PPP shall continue to promote the election of MMDCEs as the most important governance reform needed for Ghana’s democratic and economic development, and demand that it is made a topmost priority in Ghana’s governance agenda.”
Government has already hinted the election of MMDCEs may not be until 2021.
By Emmanuel Kwame Amoh|3news.com|Ghana