Bolgatanga, April 16, – A new study by the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has renewed calls for the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), citing concerns about accountability and effectiveness in local governance.
The study, titled: “Resetting Ghana's Local Governance System for Enhanced Effectiveness,” was conducted in partnership with RISE Ghana and funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). It covered 24 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) across 12 regions.
Mr Paul Nana Kwabena Aborampah Mensah, Programmes Manager at CDD-Ghana, speaking on the sidelines of a dissemination forum in Bolgatanga, said the findings reinforced growing public demand for the election of MMDCEs on a non-partisan basis.
He noted that the results were consistent with recommendations by the Constitutional Review Committee chaired by Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh, which proposed a phased approach to electing MMDCEs.
“Across multiple studies by institutions such as CDD-Ghana, Afrobarometer and others, citizens continue to clamour for the election of MMDCEs as a way to enhance accountability at the local level,” he said.
Mr Mensah explained that the current appointive system weakened accountability, as MMDCEs were more answerable to the central government than to local residents.
The study also identified limited financial capacity as a major constraint to effective local governance and recommended increasing the District Assemblies Common Fund from a minimum of five per cent to at least 10 per cent.
It further suggested granting assemblies greater discretion in the use of funds in line with their development priorities.
Additionally, the report called for the full devolution of staffing to assemblies to enable them recruit and manage their own personnel to improve efficiency and discipline.
The study highlighted the weak functioning of sub-district structures, including unit committees and area councils, and urged increased investment in training, logistics and their integration into the governance system.
It also noted that mechanisms such as town hall meetings, public relations and complaints committees, and information-sharing platforms required under the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936), were largely ineffective or non-functional.
Mr Mensah warned that limited access to information hindered media work and contributed to misinformation and public distrust.
“We are encouraging district assemblies to open up and deepen engagement with citizens and the media to ensure transparency and improve governance outcomes,” he said.
The forum brought together stakeholders including assembly staff, youth and women groups, political parties, traditional leaders, assembly members and the media.
GHBUSS
April 16, 2026
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