The Constitution Review Committee (CRC) has proposed major reforms to Ghana’s local government system, including the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) and the formal inclusion of traditional authorities in local governance structures.
Presenting highlights of the committee’s final report to President John Mahama, Chairman of the CRC, Prof. H. Kwasi Prempeh, said the proposals represent a historic step towards deepening Ghana’s democracy by extending democratic governance to the grassroots.
According to him, the committee believes the country is now ready to strengthen local governance by empowering communities and ensuring greater participation in decision-making at the district and sub-district levels.
Prof. Prempeh explained that as part of plans to elect MMDCEs, the committee also examined the role of traditional authorities and recommended reforms to harness the social legitimacy of chiefs for local development.
“We are advocating that we deepen our democracy by extending it downwards to the local communities,” he said, adding that chiefs possess significant influence and trust at the local level which can be leveraged for effective governance.
CRC is proposing that chiefs be incorporated into the local government structure, initially as members of the legislative and deliberative arm of district assemblies.
The committee further recommends a structured plan to give traditional authorities a more direct role in governance at the sub-district level, particularly in the administration of towns and villages.
