News:
February 25, 2021
Member of Parliament for North Dayi, Rockson Nelson Etse Kwami Dafeamekpor is advocating for the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) for them to be accountable to Ghanaians.
According to him as things stand now they are accountable to a sitting president, and if it were the other way round they would neglect the needs of their people in the districts.
Speaking in an interview, he noted that because Members of Parliament are elected, they are accountable to the people and there is much pressure on them to provide development at the constituencies.
He added that, there should be an alternative source of funding for MPs as the Common fund is unable to meet the huge developmental demands from their constituents.
“Alternatively, we can go the Kenya way, with the promulgation of an Act of Parliament to attract funds for development purpose for MPs to undertake development projects, like constituency development fund”.
Again, when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government introduced the one million dollars for each constituency development, they chicken out and gave the money to the District Chief Executives (DCEs); eventually when they notice that the Assemblies do not exist in the constituencies.
“They have to come back and establish what we call the Development Authorities which are also not effective”.
As to what can be done to take away the pressure on MPs, he said, “What can you do? There is nothing you can do unless we correct the problem of role, we would stay in the problem, we would be in it and it is horrible what the MPs are going through, it is incredible”.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com