Kwaku Kwarteng backs MMDCEs elections, threatens court action over DACF deductions
The Member of Parliament for Obuasi West, Kwaku Kwarteng, has renewed his call for the direct election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), saying it will strengthen accountability and improve local governance.
Addressing the General Assembly of the Obuasi Municipal Assembly during the First Sitting of its Third Session on Wednesday, June 3, the lawmaker argued that elected MMDCEs would be accountable to residents, not the President, as is currently the case under Ghana’s decentralisation system.
The MP added that elected MMDCEs would be better positioned to resist what he described as unlawful deductions from the District Assemblies Common Fund at source.
He disclosed plans to challenge in court the legality of the deductions from the District Assemblies Common Fund at source, stating he is considering seeking a Supreme Court declaration against the Administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund.
He further explained that the current appointment system makes it difficult for local authorities to challenge such deductions, even when they undermine assembly operations.
According to him, the deductions often force assemblies to accept projects and items that do not match their immediate development priorities, resulting in inefficient use of public funds.
“The problem has persisted under successive governments in the Fourth Republic,” he said.
He noted that the practice has deprived assemblies of funds meant for local development.
The Obuasi West legislature said electing MMDCEs would give assemblies greater control over the DACF, a constitutionally mandated source of funding for local government.
The issues came up as the MP, who is also a member of the Assembly, responded to questions from assembly members during the two-day meeting of the General Assembly.
Source: Citinewsroom
