The Member of Parliament for the Obuasi West Constituency, Hon. Kweku Agyemang Kwarteng, has reiterated his strong support for the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), arguing that the move would enhance accountability and strengthen local governance.
According to the legislator, electing MMDCEs would make them directly answerable to the people they serve instead of the President, as is currently the case under Ghana’s decentralization system.
Hon. Kwarteng made these remarks while addressing members of the General Assembly of the Obuasi Municipal Assembly during the First Sitting of the Third Session of the Assembly.
Defending his long-held position, the former Deputy Finance Minister noted that elected MMDCEs would be in a stronger position to resist what he described as unlawful deductions from the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) at source.
He argued that the current system, where MMDCEs are appointed by the President, often limits the ability of local authorities to challenge deductions, even when such actions negatively affect development and the effective functioning of assemblies.
According to him, some of these deductions result in assemblies receiving projects and items that do not align with their immediate development priorities, leading to inefficient use of public resources.
“The problem has persisted under successive governments in the Fourth Republic,” Hon. Kwarteng observed, stressing that the practice has deprived assemblies of much-needed funds intended for local development.
The Obuasi West MP further stated that electing MMDCEs would empower local assemblies to exercise greater control over the utilization of the DACF, a constitutionally mandated funding source for local government administration.
He also disclosed plans to challenge the legality of the source deductions in court, revealing that he is considering seeking a declaration from the Supreme Court against the Administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund.
The matter came up during deliberations at the ongoing meeting of the Obuasi Municipal Assembly, where Hon. Kwarteng, who also serves as a member of the Assembly, responded to concerns raised by assembly members.
The two-day meeting is expected to conclude on Friday, June 4, 2026, with the Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Faustilove Appiah Kannin, scheduled to deliver her sessional address.
Story by:
Ernest Offen
Municipal Information Officer, ISD Obuasi