President of policy think tank, IMANI Ghana has blamed Ghana’s limited decentralised system of government for the resignation of Kumasi Mayor, Kojo Bonsu.
According to him, the KMA boss would not have bowed to pressure to resign if he had been properly elected.
The Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Kojo Bonsu resigned following calls for his removal by the Asanteman Council.
The Council called on President Mahama to remove him over his decision to unilaterally remove Amoamanhene, Nana Agyenim Boateng from the Kejetia Market project board without informing the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
Kojo Bonsu has faced stiff opposition from some residents and traders of the city for his handling of some developmental projects in the area including the redevelopment of the Kejetia transport terminal and market.
But in assessing the situation, Franklin Cudjoe said “This is essentially a clash with officialdom within a certain precinct where customs matter.”
“I will doubt very much his [Kojo Bonsu] desire to disrespect tradition would rather be his focus when in actual fact it will be much better if he were consultative,” Franklin Cudjoe said.
He believes the issue “was a small matter that must have gone bad.”
Franklin Cudjoe advised that Kojo Bonsu be brought to Accra to replace the Accra Mayor, Mr Alfred Oko Vanderpuije.
Background
Ghana’s decentralization program began in 1988 with the objective to promote effective and accountable local government, which would become autonomous in political administration, planning, development, budgeting and rating.
Many organisations including the Center for Democratic Congress, CDD and the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) have over the years asked that the programme be restructured for progress to be made.
Mr Eric Osae, Dean of Studies and Research of the Institute of Local Government Service, believes an effective decentralisation would require the people to elect their own district chief executives (DCEs) who would be answerable to them instead of the central government.
