Election of MMDCEs in Ghana’s Decentralisation Agenda

By Rebecca Ekpe, a journalist

“You may be the last batch of MMDCEs appointed.”

Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama told newly appointed Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives. He had consistently expressed support for the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) rather than by appointment by the President. The most recent and clearest statement came on 18 June 2025 during the opening of the 2025 Orientation and Training Programme for MMDCEs at the Institute of Local Government Studies in Accra. There, President Mahama indicated that the current batch of MMDCEs could be the last to be appointed.

One would ask, what exactly did President Mahama propose?

The President is of the view that Election of MMDCEs would yield these direct results, by allowing residents to directly elect MMDCEs, thereby providing greater decentralisation and accountability in local governance., and above all give more financial autonomy for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies. These are attempts by the government to ensure that local governance is more democratic, participatory and accountable.

Cabinet approves Election of MMDCEs

Ghana’s Cabinet has approved reforms that will allow MMDCEs to be elected by the people rather than appointed by the President. Dr. Gameli Kewuribe Hoedoafia, Executive Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation (IMCCoD), who recently disclosed this said the proposed reforms seek to amend Article 243(1) of the 1992 Constitution to transfer the power of selecting MMDCEs from the President to the electorate. He said under the new arrangement, “there shall be a district chief executive for every district who shall be elected by the people.” According to Dr. Hoedofia, the government prefers a non-partisan election system because consultations nationwide showed that many Ghanaians want local government elections to remain free from partisan politics. He also disclosed that in line with the constitutional amendments; a referendum and related reforms are expected to take place between 2027 and 2029 to pave the way for the election of MMDCEs. Head of the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation (IMCCoD), also noted that findings from public consultations and Afrobarometer surveys show broad public support for electing MMDCEs, provided the process remains non-partisan.

Furthermore, it is on record that at the launch of the National Decentralisation Policy and Strategic Framework (2026–2030), Dr. Hoedoafia said the policy reflects Ghana’s renewed commitment to deepening democratic decentralisation, strengthening accountability and accelerating local development, emphasising that ‘’governance should be brought closer to the people’’.

Could Election of MMDCEs be an antidote to Strengthening Ghana’s Decentralisation and Local Governance?

Some Schools of thought believe that the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) should be considered as a major step in strengthening Ghana’s decentralisation and local governance architecture, by citing these important key points.

First of all, election of MMDCEs is important in enhancing the local democracy, because citizens will have the direct power to choose their district leaders rather than having them appointed by the President. When the people choose their leader, they can elect and remove them through the same democratic process, at the level from where they were first elected, becausee they received their mandate and derive their authority from the people.

Dovetailing into enhancing local democracy is accountability. Election of MMDCEs can improve accountability a great deal. This is so because the elected MMDCEs will be accountable to the people who vote for them, making them more responsive to local needs and concerns. Besides accountability, the election of MMDCEs also promotes citizen participation. After all democracy is about citizen participation, because power is derived from the people. It also encourages greater public involvement in local governance and decision-making processes, that should be the ultimate goal in governance.

What do we mean when we talk about strengthening decentralisation? It simply means that decision-making authority is moved closer to the people, which is a core objective of decentralisation, when decision-making is taken closer to the people and they decide on schools, hospital, water facilities, etc., it empowers them, they get the buy in and it goes a long way to improve service delivery. How so? because the people at the local level would elect local leaders who are likely to focus more on development projects and services that directly affect their constituents. What then would happen is that eventually, we would experience a reduction in what is often known as political patronage. Really, the process minimises the perception that MMDCE appointments are based on political loyalty rather than competence.

Boosting Development at the Grassroots

Fundamentally, local government and decentralisation is about devolving power from the centre to the people at the local level. The long-term dividends of electing local leaders at the local level instead of having a President appoint them means that local leaders with a direct mandate from the people may be better positioned to champion community development initiatives, and that is the kind of decentralised development Ghana should prioritise.

“Decentralisation was anchored on the principle of bringing governance closer to the people,” Dr. Gameli Kewuribe Hoedoafia.