A member of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Upper East Regional Communications Team, Johnson Ayine, has declared his support for the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), while accusing both the NPP and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of hypocrisy and politicising nearly every aspect of national life.
Speaking on A1 Radio’s Daybreak Upper East programme, Mr. Ayine said he supports giving citizens the power to elect their district chief executives but believes Ghanaians must first acknowledge the extent of political interference across institutions.
“My point is that I’m in support of the election of MMDCEs, but I’m only exposing our hypocrisy. We are playing the ostrich. There is no election in this country, whether GNAT, NAGRAT, or among union leaders and others, that is free from political interference,” he stated.
According to him, political parties often sponsor candidates for leadership positions within unions and professional associations to advance partisan interests. He argued that the political affiliations of some union leaders are often evident from their public statements.
“The NDC is in power, so the NDC will sponsor people who will speak in their favour. The NPP also sponsors people who will make things difficult for the government. That is why, when some union leaders speak, you don’t need anyone to tell you whether they belong to the NPP or NDC. We have politicised everything in this country. That is my concern,” he said.
Mr. Ayine added that electing MMDCEs could reduce lobbying, rumours, and the “pull-him-down” tendencies that often characterise the current appointment system.
His comments come as Cabinet has approved far-reaching reforms to Ghana’s decentralisation system. The proposed reforms include ending the appointment of MMDCEs, reviewing the Local Governance Act, and introducing stronger accountability mechanisms at the local level.
Under the proposed changes, district chief executives will, for the first time, be elected directly by citizens on a non-partisan basis. A new local governance law is expected to be laid before Parliament by the end of 2026.
The Executive Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation, Dr. Clement Gameli Kewuribe Hoedoafia, recently disclosed that the reforms form part of broader efforts to deepen democratic decentralisation, strengthen citizen participation, and improve service delivery at the grassroots.
The debate over electing MMDCEs has resurfaced periodically in Ghana, with supporters arguing that it will enhance accountability and local governance, while critics raise concerns about cost, partisanship, and the potential for local conflicts.
A1 Radio | 101.1 MHz | David Azure | Bolgatanga
