Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Divine Otoo Agorhom, has urged political parties to involve their grassroots structures in the selection of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to curb growing tensions around appointments.
His comments come in the wake of mounting protests by National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters in some districts, rejecting certain MMDCE nominations.
Speaking on Channel One Newsroom on Sunday, Agorhom proposed a constituency-led vetting system before nominees are presented to the President. “We should get the applicants to first of all go to the constituency so that the party endorses them,” he said, emphasizing the role of local party structures in ensuring legitimacy and political harmony.
He outlined a three-tier filtration process involving constituency endorsement, regional assessment, and national shortlisting, aimed at producing candidates who are well-known, trusted, and accepted at all levels.
According to him, such an inclusive approach would “reduce the political tension that follows these appointments” and foster party unity.
Agorhom also called for a long-term solution: the election of MMDCEs. “Until we get to the process where MMDCEs are elected, this should be the procedure every party should adopt,” he added.
His remarks reignite the broader national conversation around local governance reforms and political accountability in decentralized administration.
