‘MMDCEs will be elected if NDC wins Election 2016’
Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief executives (MMDCEs) will be elected if the National Democratic Congress (NDC) wins the 2016 general election, President John Dramani Mahama has said.
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The 1992 Constitution provides for the appointment of MMDCES but some experts in local governance have described it as counterproductive.
Presenting highlights of the party's manifesto last Tuesday night, the President said, “We will implement the Constitution Review Commission’s (CRC) recommendation to have MMDCEs elected."
The move, he explained, would strengthen local government administration.
He also hinted on plans to pay assembly members.
President Mahama said the next NDC government would promote performance-based competition among metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies.
Economy
President Mahama said Ghana would attain single digit inflation in 2017, stressing that the economy was doing well.
He said there would be a reduction in the spread between borrowing and lending rates to provide relief to the citizenry and businesses.
"In short, my Economic Transformation and Livelihood Empowerment Programme (ETLEP) will grow the economy, partner the private sector and create sustainable employment," he stated.
Electronic textbooks
On some of the initiatives to be introduced in the education sector, the President said a pilot project on electronic textbooks would be introduced.
"Students will receive tablets that have all their core subjects. If the pilot is successful, the programme shall be expanded," he said.
President Mahama said the government would appoint a new deputy minister of education in charge of Technical Education should the NDC win the elections.
Power generation
Another sector the President touched on, was power generation where he said if the NDC wins the elections, it would increase power generation in excess of 5,000 Megawatts by 2021.
That would be achieved through the completion of more thermal power projects, renewable energy, including solar and wind, along the Eastern Corridor of the Greater Accra Region.
WASSCE registration fees
President Mahama said the government would fully absorb the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) registration fees for all Ghanaian candidates.
On Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), the next NDC government would "complete the massive roll-out of TVET facilities across the country under the US$124 million development of skills for industry project 1," he said.
President Mahama said 30 per cent of the community day senior high schools would be provided with technical workshops and facilities.
He further stated that 35,000 teachers would benefit from the programme known as Transforming-Teacher Education and Learning (T-TEL).