News:
May 27, 2021
Majority Leader, Osei-Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has set the record straight that President Nana Akufo-Addo and the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Daniel Botwe have not issued any circular for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to step aside.
According to him something in that regard was circulated but did not emanate from the presidency neither the sector Ministry, but such a thing was put in circulation, “only the originators know of it”.
He noted in a further development that there has been a letter disclaiming the ownership of the earlier letter and went on further to point out that, Coordinating Directors at the various Assemblies are not spending officers and cannot spend if they are not authorized to do so, hence a circular went out in that regard not to spend more than two thousand Ghana cedis.
He made this known when he presented the Business Statement for this week on Tuesday, May 25, 2021, and the Member of Parliament for Banda, Ahmed Ibrahim raised concerns on the floor of the House concerning activities at the various MMDAs, stating that nothing is happening at the Assemblies because of the directive to the MMDCEs.
He was however happy that the process of nominating and approving MMDCEs by the president who is vested with that authority has started, and started last week and ongoing at the various Regions.
On the issue of approving formula for the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF), the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETfund), and the National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL), the MP was not happy parliament has still not received documents to that effect.
He was however, quick to point out that the Banda MPs concern was his use of the word “contingent”, that is approval is contingent, that when it comes to the House it would be approved. But the Majority Leader went ahead to point out that the formula would be presented next week.
“We would insist on that, I have indeed met with the sector Ministers concerned and they have all agreed to present the formula for approval by next week”.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com