President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo charged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives by the Public Office Holders (Declaration of Assets and Disqualification) Act, 1998, (Act 550), (Schedule 1 (V)) to within three (3) months of assuming office, declare their assets.
This exercise, he indicated, will be monitored, especially as “the Ghanaian people must understand that, for us, public service is exactly that, public service, not personal gain.”
Delivering the keynote address at the orientation ceremony held for newly confirmed Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives at the Accra International Conference Centre, Nana Akufo Addo indicated that “Regional Ministers are required to monitor and evaluate the performance of MMDCEs in their Regions, and submit periodic reports to the President about them. I, therefore, expect you to accord Regional Ministers all their due respect, as they are the President’s representatives in the Regions”.
President Akufo-Addo urged the MMDCEs to acquaint themselves with all the relevant laws, and work in close collaboration with their Assemblies, traditional authorities, opinion leaders, religious leaders, and other key stakeholders in their localities, urging them further to ensure that the Assemblies function effectively and efficiently, especially in the sub-structures.
“Avoid getting involved in unnecessary conflicts that rather dent the image of the Assembly and, by extension, Government. Rather, work with your staff, deepen transparency, and promote popular participation and accountability at the local level. These are the hallmarks for successful leadership and the attainment of results. If you are fruitful in this, then we would be making good progress towards strengthening the structure of our governance system, and bringing democracy and progress to local government,” the President added.
He said the Minister for Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development, Hon. Botwe, Kwaku Botwe, has oversight responsibility for decentralization implementation and local government.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Kofi Atakora
