Founder and leader of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom has blamed Ghana’s socio-economic problems on the 1992 Constitution which confers too much powers on the President.
According to him, the 1992 Constitution legitimized an elected dictatorship and centralized the country’s system of governance in a way that has left the other arms of governance weak to act and too poor to serve as an effective source of checks and balances.
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In a Facebook post to congratulate President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, he said, "We are encouraged by his stated commitment to change, particularly the pledge to amend the 1992 Constitution to give power back to the people to elect their own MMDCEs along with the necessary resources."
Nana Akufo-Addo has made a strong case for the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in 2018.
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Nana Addo said the time for has come for the election of DCEs and that it cannot be delayed since it is the only way to bring accountability to local government.
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DCEs across the country are appointed by the president subject to approval by the assemblies.
Appointment of DCEs has become a tool for political patronage, making appointees less accountable to the people.
Critics have dismissed the idea of electing DCEs.
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Read his Facebook post below:
"On behalf of the Progressive People's Party, I wish to congratulate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and welcome him as the President of the Republic of Ghana. We are encouraged by his stated commitment to change, particularly the pledge to amend the 1992 Constitution to give power back to the people to elect their own MMDCEs along with the necessary resources. We stand for change and will positively support all efforts to make it happen in a way that our people can feel and be happy about."
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"Hope is needed by our people and our party will continue to act in a manner to ring that bell and along with it the promise that tomorrow will be a better day. We wish President Akufo-Addo well and at the same time make it clear that we will also speak out on behalf of the people when expectations are not met or when a better road, less treacherous, is needed."