DCEs to be elected

Ghana\'s Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, on Friday reiterated that the government will ultimately ensure that District Chief Executives (DCEs) are elected as enshrined in the manifesto of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

A statement issued in Accra on Saturday said he made the statement when the British High Commissioner in Ghana, Dr Rod Pullen, called on him at his office.

In the run-up to the December elections, President John Agyekum Kufuor promised to make the position of DCEs an elective one to make them more responsible and accountable to the people and not to a political party.

In fulfilment of his campaign promise, the President has revoked the appointments of DCEs in accordance with Article 243 of the 1992 constitution.

Mr Baah-Wiredu, however, said that the 30 per cent government appointees to the District Assemblies (DAs), which is distributed among the traditional authorities (30 per cent), women (30 per cent) and professional bodies (40 per cent), will continue.

This, he said, is to ensure the DAs do not only reflect a fair representation of all stakeholders in society but also have a good number of experts and professionals on board.

\"The NPP will work to strengthen the district assemblies to ensure that the concept of decentralisation becomes a reality,\" he said.

\"The sub-district structures will also be enhanced to make more people participate in the decentralisation process.\"

Mr Baah-Wiredu said the ministry would work with all sector ministries to ensure success, adding that the government will do everything possible to actively involve every stakeholder in the decentralisation process.

Mr Baah-Wiredu assured the British High Commissioner that the government would work to eliminate corruption to ensure that the country can get value for money in its transactions on the international market.

Dr. Pullen assured the minister of his government\'s support, saying: \"we will continue to assist the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the agricultural sector in Ghana\".

He noted that many issues were raised by President Kufuor in his sessional address, and said his visit was to discuss how his country could co-operate with the ministry to assist in achieving the set goals of the new government.