Politics

NDC urges Pres to cede power to appoint Assembly Members to chiefs

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has urged the president to cede his power to appoint 30 per cent of district assembly members to traditional authorities in the spirit of building a national consensus.

It noted that traditional authorities have since the inception of the 4th Republican Constitution been pushing for the power to appoint 30 per cent of district assembly members, and their demands must be considered to deepen democracy and good governance.

This was contained in a letter to the President in which the party claims it has set up a team to engage the president in the spirit of building a national consensus because on December 1, he cancelled the processes leading to the election of Metropolitan Municipal and District Chief Executives over a lack of national consensus.

“In particular we would like you to consider ceding the power of appointment to our chiefs and traditional authorities as was the case under the 1969 Second Republican and 1979 third Republican Constitutions.

“This is something our chiefs and traditional authorities have been demanding since we entered the Fourth Republican Constitution, if that is agreed, we will have to discuss with the National House of Chiefs how and by which chiefs and traditional authorities those appointments are to be made.

“We must look at the critical look of some articles in the constitution, should the president decide to start the processes of electing Metropolitan Municipal and District Chief Executives,” the letter said.

The Electoral Commission was hoping to organise three separate elections on December 17, 2019 including the referendum which sought to seek the approval of the citizenry to amend Article 55(3) of the 1992 Constitution to allow political parties to sponsor candidates for local level elections.

However, President Nana Akufo-Addo cancelled the referendum and also directed for the withdrawal of the Article 55 (3) Amendment Bill from Parliament as well as Article 243 (1) which was to allow the citizenry to vote for their MMDCEs.

President Nana Akufo-Addo explained that he took the action because there was a lack of national consensus on the issue which was subsequently rebuked by a section of the citizenry for the action. -citinewsroom.com

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