Akufo-Addo sued for appointing illegal ‘acting MMDCEs’

Member of Parliament (MP) for the South Dayi Constituency, Hon. Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor has warned persons who served as Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in President Akufo-Addo’s first term and still occupying the same positions in acting capacities that, they are putting their own lives in danger.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP who has dragged the government to court for its failure to appoint substantive MMDCEs eight months into its second term says, the rules of engagement for the acting officials bar them from holding themselves as chief executives and taking major decisions.

Dafeamekpor, who filed the suit as a private citizen of Ghana, among other things wants a “declaration that upon a true and proper interpretation of Article 243(1), the President of the Republic of Ghana cannot direct, instruct or appoint any person to either act or hold office as a Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executive without the prior approval of the Members of the District Assembly to which the said person would be acting or holding office as a Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executive.”

It may be recalled that a communiqué signed by the Chief of Staff, Frema Osei Opare directing the MMDCEs to remain at post in acting capacities after President Akufo-Addo won a second term, notified them that, “You are to take note of the provision of section 14 (5) of the Presidential (Transition) Act (2012) which states that you shall not take a decision involving a policy issue”; the conditions of the communiqué are still in effect.

Speaking in an interview monitored by MyNewsGh.com, Hon. Rockson Nelson Dafeamekor warned that the acting MMDCEs may find themselves at the wrong side of the law if any is found culpable of breaching the terms of the communiqué which instructed them to act in those capacities; he further warned that they are not to take salaries of DCEs but allowances.