Ghana’s local government system is a sham!

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• clifford 10 years ago

  Indeed local governance as rightly put by the writer is to allow the electorate be part of the decision making body as to who should govern them.I subscribe to the ideologies of the writer on this subject.The party in govern ...
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  Indeed local governance as rightly put by the writer is to allow the electorate be part of the decision making body as to who should govern them.I subscribe to the ideologies of the writer on this subject.The party in governance if even for fear of disloyalty can be given the opportunity to shortlist among its members candidates interested in such positions,submit their names for vetting by the public services commission and later presented to the electorate for the final voting.

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• Opanin 10 years ago

  The writer of the article has forgotten that the 1992 Constitution was a constitution of Jerry Rawlings, written by Jerry Rawlings and for Jerry Rawlings to enable him (or at worst his party, the (P)NDC)hold on to power in Gh ...
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  The writer of the article has forgotten that the 1992 Constitution was a constitution of Jerry Rawlings, written by Jerry Rawlings and for Jerry Rawlings to enable him (or at worst his party, the (P)NDC)hold on to power in Ghana for eternity. The District/Municipal Chief Executives were the most important blocks in the grand design by Rawlings and his (P)NDC to exercise absolute control of Ghanaians. If he appointed them (the District/Municipal Chief Executives), they would swear allegiance to him and him only and not to the people in the districts or municipalities. If the Chief Executives were not able to get 100% of the people in their districts or municipality to vote for the NDC, they would be fired and most importantly, the districts or municipalities in question would be starved of critical funding for developmental projects.
  
  That was why majority of the first District/Municipal Chief Executives under the 1992 Constitution were the PNDC District Secretaries. Subsequently, the cadre of District/Municipal Chief Executives came from the rank of NDC activists or members.
  
  The only chance Ghanaians had to repeal the system and allowed the people in the districts and municipalities to elect their mayors or chief executives was during the Kufour time. Unfortunately, that never happened because the NPP also perhaps thought they would need the system to push their agenda - get the district/municipal chief executives to win them more elections. They lost out and the (P)NDC has taken over again to push their agenda of holding on to power in perpetuity.
  
  We should also not forget that Rawlings (P)NDC made the repeal of certain portions of the 1992 Constitution virtually impossible. I have not checked but the appointment of district/municipal chief executives by the President could be one of the provisions that can only be repealed or amended by a referendum. Would the country spend say 100 million Ghana cedis on a referendum to amend the constitution to make the people in a district or municipalities elect their mayor when doctors' and nurses' salaries had not been paid for months and they are on strike?
  
  A major cause of Africa's under-development is our obsession with political power - but not what goes with it - using the power obtained through the ballot box to change the lives of the people and the nations for good. We see it in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, DR Congo etc and even South Africa. That's the biggest difference between the understanding of the people of developed Europe, Asia and the Americas of politics and how we Africans understand it. To us, political power is the end - secure it by all means, and all the goodies shall follow.
  
  If after 58 years of independence we have serious energy supply problem in the country and poverty levels are at their highest, then what have, as a people, achieved as a country?

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• Apor 10 years ago

  Mr opanin agreed with your commentary, i must add the referendum can be added to the ballots during presidential election. mark Yes No, that can save the cost of 100million you estimated.

  Mr opanin agreed with your commentary, i must add the referendum can be added to the ballots during presidential election. mark Yes No, that can save the cost of 100million you estimated.

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• Yawb 10 years ago

  With a Federated State, all these your concerns will be addressed. The influx of everyone moving to Accra shall be curtailed. Generated resources shall be used to develop the regions.

  With a Federated State, all these your concerns will be addressed. The influx of everyone moving to Accra shall be curtailed. Generated resources shall be used to develop the regions.

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