IDEG pushes for NDC, NPP consensus on election of local government executives

He said the longstanding disagreement between the two major political traditions over whether MMDCEs should be elected on political party lines or through non-partisan contests remained a major obstacle to durable decentralisation and responsive local governance.

Dr Emmanuel Akwetey, Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), has urged the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to build consensus on the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) before undertaking major local government reforms.

The two-day dialogue, on the theme: “Resetting Democratic Decentralisation for Accountable Public Service Delivery and Accelerated Local Development,” brought together regional ministers, MMDCEs, traditional leaders, local government experts, development partners, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to deliberate on the future of decentralisation and responsive local governance.