President John Dramani Mahama has announced impending constitutional reforms that could replace Ghana’s current system of appointing Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) with direct elections.
Speaking at an orientation program for current MMDCEs on June 18, the President revealed that a National Review Committee’s August report will likely recommend the shift following overwhelming public demand for elected local leaders.
“You may be the last dinosaurs of the appointment era,” Mahama told the gathering, citing multiple surveys showing Ghanaians’ preference for electoral accountability in local governance.
While stopping short of specifying whether elections would be partisan, the announcement resolves a longstanding debate about moving to an elective system.
Governance experts note this reform could dramatically reshape Ghana’s decentralization framework, though questions remain about implementation timelines and the political neutrality of future local elections.
