Gov't Moves To Effect Constitutional Changes

Government has begun top-level discussions to effect the necessary constitutional changes that will enable people in the districts to elect their chief executives. The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, who disclosed this in London, said this in line with the campaign promise made by President J.A. Kufuor, in the run-up to the 2000 elections.

A release issued by the Ghana High Commission in London said Mr Baah-Wiredu made the disclosure in an interview with the press after he attended the Commonwealth Local Government Forum in London. It said the minister also announced plans by government to introduce a new disbursement formula to ensure fairness and equity in the allocation of the District Assembly Common Fund.

It explained that the new formula has been necessitated by the over-concentration of development projects in some district capitals and complaints that there is lack of transparency in the disbursement of the Common Fund. He said the agitations in recent times, for the creation of new districts in some regions are also among the reasons.

Mr Baah-Wiredu, the release said, stressed the government’s commitment to ensure good governance, beginning from the grassroots level. For this reason, he said, the government would ensure transparency in the disbursement of the District Assembly Common Fund and check corruption, too, particularly in the award of contracts. The District Assembly election is scheduled for July.