info@businessghana.com
The Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, in consultation with the Office of the President, has slated February 6, 2024, for the inauguration of all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
A statement signed and issued by the Chief Director of the ministry, Amin Abdul-Rahaman, directed all MMDAs to ensure a successful inauguration following successful District Level Elections held in December last year.
It also directed all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Coordinating Directors (MMDCDs) to ensure smooth operations in all MMDAs.
"Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Coordinating Directors (MMDCDs) are, thus, directed to hold the fort and ensure smooth operations in all MMDAs until the new Assembly Members are sworn into office and all Assemblies are duly inaugurated," it said.
The ministry appealed to all regional ministers to facilitate the smooth inauguration and swearing-in of all elected assembly members into office, in collaboration with the MMDAs.
"All Regional Ministers are kindly requested to facilitate the successful inauguration of MMDAs in their regions," it said.
In a consequent event, the MMDAs are expected, by the directives, to lead the swearing-in ceremony of all 6,215 elected assembly members across the 216 MMDAs in the country, to officially commence their mandate to ensure the smooth and effective discharge of their duties in their various electoral areas.
With 66,257 candidates who contested in the district assembly elections held in December last year, 18,755 were assembly member candidates while 47,502 were unit committee candidates, according to statistics sourced from the Electoral Commission.
Out of the 18,755 candidates, 6,215 were elected to serve in the 216 MMDAs, in accordance with section 5(1) (b) of the Local Government Act, 1993 (Act 462) which states that "A District Assembly shall consist of one person from each electoral area within the District elected by universal adult suffrage in accordance with regulations made for the purpose by the Electoral Commission".
For the unit committee members, 31,075 were elected out of the 47,502, given that each electoral area has five unit committee members.
