IDEG Slams Presidential Nomination of DCE Candidates for Constitutiona

The Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) has spoken out against a proposal that would allow the President to nominate five candidates for District Chief Executive (DCE) elections. According to the government's position paper on the Constitutional Review Committee's report, three of the nominated candidates would then contest the election.

IDEG Criticizes Presidential Nomination of DCE Candidates

The Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) has expressed its opposition to the proposal, which it believes would exclude political parties and individuals not aligned with the government from participating in the local governance system. A Senior Research Fellow at IDEG, Mr. Kwesi Jonah, told the Ghana News Agency that DCEs should be elected directly by the people without presidential intervention.

This position is not new for IDEG, as Mr. Jonah noted that the Institute has advocated for direct election of DCEs for over 10 years. The government's proposal, on the other hand, suggests that the President would nominate five persons, two of whom would be women. Three of the five would then be shortlisted, including at least one woman, after vetting by a committee comprising representatives of the Ministry of Local Government, the Public Services Commission, and the Local Government Service.

Direct Election vs. Presidential Nomination

Mr. Jonah explained that the proposal appears intended to prevent other political parties from contesting the DCE elections. He argued that this would undermine the democratic principle of free choice, as DCEs would be accountable to the President rather than the people they govern. "In a democracy, the Chief Executive must be directly accountable to the people over whom he's governing," Mr. Jonah said.

He emphasized that political parties should be allowed to determine who they wanted to field through a free process, including primaries. This would ensure that the candidates are accountable to the people and not just the President. Mr. Jonah questioned the kind of democracy that would allow the President to select candidates for DCE elections.

Consequences of Presidential Nomination

The IDEG Senior Research Fellow warned that the proposal would undermine accountability at the local level. He argued that persons nominated by the President to contest DCE elections would feel accountable primarily to the appointing authority rather than the people. This, he said, would not uphold the democratic principle of free choice.

Mr. Jonah also pointed out that the proposal would not ensure that the people have control over the persons who become their District Chief Executives. He emphasized that allowing the President to nominate candidates and effectively guide voters on whom they could choose does not work in a democracy. "When people decide that they want to have control over the persons who become their District Chief Executives, let the people themselves vote freely," Mr. Jonah said.

The IDEG's stance on the proposal is significant, as it highlights the importance of direct election of DCEs in a democratic system. The Institute's opposition to the government's proposal is a call to action for those who value democracy and accountability at the local level.

Source: JOY