President warns MMDCEs

By Edmund Mingle

The President, John Evans Atta Mills yesterday cautioned Chief Executives of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies against misuse of resources, warning that he will not hesitate dismissing those found mismanaging state resources to the detriment of the people.

“No one has monopoly over the position, and if anybody is found wanting in the judicious use of resources, I will not hesitate to remove that person,” he told an assembly of all the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in Accra.

Opening a five day orientation to equip the chief executives for the job, President Mills asked also asked the MMDCEs, who are his representatives at the district level, to be responsive to need and aspirations of the people at the grassroots.

Speaking frankly, President Mills pointed out that the MMDCEs should not think that their appointment was to compensate or reward them for been members of the National Democratic Congress, saying they were appointed on merit and based on their ability to manage their respective areas.

“You have to approach your assignment with urgency,” he said, reminding them that Ghanaians were waiting to see the change for a better Ghana the government promised.

He urged them to be innovative in address the development challenges facing their respective areas, observing the need for them also accommodate all views and work with the established structures.

As an advocate of accountability and transparency, President Mills asked his men to uphold those principles in their management activities, as well as operate an open administration.

“Remember that you are the interface between central government and the people,” he said, and therefore asked them to ensure that the community people have unrestricted access to their office through which the MMDCEs could become more conversant with the needs of the communities they oversee.

Recognising that the districts needed resources to operate, President Mills assured the MMDCEs of the provision of adequate resources from central to enable them to work effectively.

He congratulated them on their nomination and confirmation for the positions, and urged them to justify the confidence reposed in them.

Joseph Yieleh-Chireh, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, in his welcome address, also encouraged the chief executives to exhibit good leadership qualities and eschew arrogance in their dealings with the people they have been appointed to serve.

“Your actions and inactions will have either a positive or negative effect on the image of the government,” he told them, and urged them to make a positive difference in their respective areas.

The orientation programme, which had the theme, “Chief Executives as agents of change in participatory local development,” would educate the 170 MMDCEs on the rudiments of local government administration, operations of the district assembly common fund, resource mobilsation and revenue generation, as well as how MMDCEs relate with their Members of Parliament.