President John Dramani Mahama's move to revamp local governance as Banda DCE weighs in.
President John Dramani Mahama has revoked all appointments of Chief Executives for Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
This is one of the president's first actions after his swearing-in as Ghana's 6th President on January 7, 2025.
A letter issued on Wednesday, January 8, and signed by Calistus Mahama, the Executive Secretary to the President, outlined the decision.
The move is part of the Mahama administration’s plan to reorganise local governance to align with its policy objectives as the new government assumes office.
It stated that in accordance with the powers vested in President Mahama under the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936) as amended by the Local Governance (Amendment) Act, 2017 (Act 940), the following appointments are revoked, effective immediately:
Chief Executives of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies
Assembly Members appointed under the relevant provisions of the Act
President John Dramani Mahama's recent decision to revoke the appointments of all Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) as well as appointed Assembly Members nationwide has been met with understanding from Hon. Akone Emmanuel, the former District Chief Executive (DCE )for Banda, in the Bono Region.
According to Hon. Emmanuel, speaking on Fabea FM's "Me Man Ho Dadwen" with Apiah-Kubi, stated that such revocations are commonplace during government changes, citing that MMDCEs work to realize the agenda of the president and the party in power.
The move is seen as a significant step in reorganizing local governance, aligning with the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936) and the Local Governance (Amendment) Act, 2017 (Act 940).
The appointments of MMDCES and assembly members under the relevant sections of the Act have been annulled.
The revocation takes immediate effect, with Coordinating Directors of the respective Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) stepping in as acting chief executives until new appointments are made.
The District Chief Executive for Banda expressed that, such revocations are normal during government transitions. "When there's a change of government, such revocations happen," he explained.
Hon. Emmanuel noted that the president has the prerogative to appoint individuals who share his ideologies to implement policies.
He emphasized that if MMDCEs were elected, they could continue working without fear of losing their position. The revocation is expected to pave the way for the government to appoint new leadership at the local level, aligning with its vision for decentralization and development.
He concluded that the revocation of their appointments is not surprising.
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