Adopt all hands on deck approach in Dec. local level elections in Ghana

NEWS COMMENTARY ON THE NEED FOR ALL HANDS ON DECK APPROACH IN THE DECEMBER 17, REFERENDUM TO AMEND ARTICLE 55-3 OF THE 1992 CONSTITUTION TO ALLOW FOR POLITICAL PARTIES PARTICIPATION IN MULTIPARTY ELECTIONS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL IN GHANA.

WRITTEN BY REBECCA EKPE, A JOURNALIST.

On December 17, this year, Ghanaians would go to the polls in a referendum to amend article 55 (3) of the 1992 Constitution to allow for political parties participation in multiparty elections at the local level in Ghana.

This move is seen as a herculean task because to make the political parties participation at the local level agenda a reality the constitution says there should be a 40% turn out of voters and 75 percent of them must vote yes.

Historically Ghana has recorded very low turn-out at District Level Elections as compared to that of the Presidential and Parliamentary.

With an average of 35% turn-out recorded at local level elections, local governance and decentralization proponents are worried that a lot more work needs to be done to whip up enthusiasm and also mobilize citizens towards the agenda to ensure a mass turn out on December 17, with the turn out also translating into YES votes to ensure that political parties can participate legitimately by sponsoring candidates to the local level elections.

Additionally, article 243(1) of the constitution also needs to be amended to allow for Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives, MMDCEs to be elected by the people.

Currently, the President makes the appointment, a situation which has been described as ”undemocratic”.

In fact, President Akufo-Addo himself has stated that going forward MMDCs would no longer be appointed.

This is a campaign promise that the NPP is working hard to fulfil, besides other political parties also support this agenda.

Besides the political parties supporting the agenda, an NCCE survey conducted has revealed that almost 70% of Ghanaians want their MMDCEs elected.

CDD-Ghana’s Afro barometer survey is also pointing to the same direction.

Furthermore the very first report of the Constitution Review Commission of December 20, 2011 made very strong arguments for the election of MMDCEs.

Simply when MMDCEs are elected , it would make for the ”total democratization of the local government level” and also make districts more responsible for the development of their communities.

Above all if MMDCEs are elected it will promote responsiveness and accountability , and ensure that competent candidates are put up for election.

At the end of the day development which seems to be eluding some of the districts would be brought closer to the people.

To achieve this feat the onus is on all citizens of Ghana, in fact it is a civic responsibility to go and vote in the Referendum and the District Level Election, both of which would be held December 17.

Various organizations including CSOs and the GJA are leading the media to push the local governance agenda. We say Kudos to the National Commission for Civic Education, (NCCE) which recently launched a citizens education and awareness raising campaign on the up-coming District Level Elections and Referendum.

The message is clear , as Ghanaians, we all have a responsibility to ensure that the Referendum to amend article 55 (3) of the 1992 constitution goes down in history as a successful one.

The work begins now!

Remember coming out to Vote in the December 17 Referendum and the District Level Elections is your civic responsibility, so come on, just do it!  

BY REBECCA EKPE, A JOURNALIST.