Member of Parliament for South Dayi Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor
Member of Parliament for South Dayi Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor has charged that President Akufo-Addo’s delay in appointing substantive Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to run the affairs of the local governments in the country amounts to a dereliction of his duties, which is unconstitutional.
He pointed out that the position of the MMDCEs are so pertinent to the democratic architecture of the country that they cannot be made to work in an acting capacity as the President has made them function in such capacities for nine months.
The South Dayi legislator pointed out that since the President cannot allow magistrates and judges to function in an acting capacity, it is illegal to direct the current officers to work in the local authorities in an acting capacity.
When pointed to that the President may not have been done with the necessary consultations in order to appoint the right individuals to fill the capacities of MMDCEs, Mr Dafeamekpor retorted that if the President was not done with consultations on the subject how come he recently appointed an MCE in the country.
Mr Dafeamekpor said President Akufo-Addo’s delay in the appointment of MMDCEs presents a huge hindrance to the mandates of the local governance in the country.
He disclosed that he has filed a writ in court seeking that any actions that the acting MMDCEs take in incurring fiscal liabilities to the state in their various jurisdictions should be considered null and void.
Mr Dafeamekpor explained that since the MMDCEs are signatories to policy decisions in their jurisdictions it is important they are appointed to function accordingly in their capacities in the country.
He said the delay in the appointment of MMDCEs in the country has stalled development in the country for the past one year.
Mr Dafeamekpor pointed out that the district assembly dues have not been disbursed to the various assemblies for the past one year thus blocking any development in the country.
He made this charge in an interview with Johnnie Hughes on the New Day on TV3, Tuesday, September 7.
He was reacting on the backdrop of the delay by President Akufo-Addo to appoint Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) for the past nine months since assuming office. The President has alluded that the delay in the appointments of MMDCEs are as a result of consultations needed to be done before appointing the local government officials in the country.
“The MMDCE is not an office to be toyed with, I want to ask the President if he can appoint someone to act as a Supreme Court judge? Why didn’t the President ask persons to represent him in the ministries until he has finished with consultations? And the law permits a reasonable time to do that but if it is inordinately wrong, it becomes unacceptable.
“This is a breach of the constitution, you have asked people to go and serve in a certain capacity, the procedure by which you do that is contrary to the provisions in the constitution,” The South Dayi lawmaker charged on the New Day.