'Group Calls For Speedy Appointment Of MCE'(Daily Graphic,Fri, 08 Apr 2011)

Story:Benjamin Xornam Glover, Bolgatanga
A group calling itself ‘Upper East Youth Association’ has appealed to President J.E.A. Mills to appoint a substantive municipal chief executive for the Bolgatanga Municipality.

This, the group says, would facilitate the continuation of development activities and programmes drawn up for the municipality.

A release issued in Bolgatanga said, the absence of a substantive MCE for the Upper East Regional Capital, following the removal of the Mr Epsona Ayamga in March 2011 had created a huge power vacuum within the local government system in the municipality.

It said the situation had brought a number of development activities to a standstill, notwithstanding the fact that the regional minister was acting in that capacity.

The release said, it is common knowledge that one of the core functions of a District Chief Executive under the Local Government system and the 1992 Constitution is to be responsible for the day-to-day performance of the executive and administrative functions of the district assembly. This means that without the district chief executive, who is the chief representative of the central government in the municipality with additional functions of presiding over meetings of the executive committee of the assembly, no meaningful development can be carried out.

It said, in such instances, it was the poor and vulnerable groups that bore the brunt of the suffering because of their over-reliance on government’s interventions and protection.

While appealing to the President to fast-track the process of appointing a substantive MCE, the release said, given the current sanitation problems bedevilling the Bolgatanga municipality, the group was pleading with the President to consider appointing a person with the capability to deal with the sanitation problems in the municipality.

The release pledged the group's commitment to work with any person appointed as MCE for Bolgatanga, adding that it would help fight against the environmental challenges confronting the municipality