By Mildred Siabi-Mensah/ Famiye Eshun,GNA
Takoradi, Nov. 21, GNA - A Governance Expert and former DCE of the Ahanta West Municipality, Mr Kwesi Biney says Ghana cannot continue to build superstructures at the top level of governance and allow the base to fallow.
He said it was imperative that governance at the local level was fortified through the elections of representatives to the assembly as well as their Chief Executives to give credence to real practice of democracy across the country.
Mr Biney who said this at a sensitisation and stakeholder's engagement for NALAG members and the public on the election of MMDCEs, allayed the fears of members of the public about the December 17 Referedum, saying it provided security to officers at the local level to perform their duties rather than the situation, where such officers were removed at the pleasure of the Presidency any time.
The Stakeholders’ engagement was organised by the NALAG in collaboration with the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation.
He said "one critical issue that must be considered was the monetisation of Ghanaian politics, which may deny the country of best brains, attitude and character just because a candidate may have money to spread for votes as against one without that kind of money to spend on electorates".
He said voting Yes in the upcoming Referedum would strengthen democracy at the grassroot.
A Yes vote according to him, could not affect the disbursement of the Common Fund to whoever heads a particular districts, it would ensure equitable distribution of resources and would not in any way affect the security of the sitting President .
He further indicated that a Yes vote would curtail the friction and suspicions existed between Members of Parliament and their Chief Executives, where a performing Chief Executive was seen as a threat to the seat of the MP.
Mr Biney also urged the government to consider naming all Chief Executives as "Mayors' in line with International best Practices.
Mr Kobby Okyere Darko Mensah, the Western Regional Minister said electing members of the assembly would promote healthy competition for the development of the district and serve as check and balances at the grassroot.
He said it would also do away with the winner takes all syndrome, which was gradually becoming entrenched in the country's body politics.
Mr Bright Wereko-Brobbey, a member of the local Government Committee at Parliament said a Yes vote was critical in changing the political fortunes of the country.
He said, "the President could have decided to continually wield that power of appointing Chief Executives, but he has decided to delegate these powers to the citizenry and this is something every Ghanaian must appreciate and validate for the common good of all".
Mr Andrews Bediako, an Administrator with the NALAG said voting Yes would cement what political parties were doing in the dark in terms of holding primaries at the assembly levels to elect candidates to represent them though the system was non-political.
"We have been hypocrites for far too long... We all know how candidates are sponsored on partisan lines at the assembly elections...this is a real opportunity to authenticate it through a Yes vote in the upcoming Referendum", he added.
GNA
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