President John Dramani Mahama has revealed that, government plans to create new Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the country.
According to him, government has received a number of requests from the citizenry to that effect, but did not mention how soon that will take place.
President Mahama revealed this in response to a request made by the chief of Agona Nyakrom during the inauguration of the Abodoman Community Day Senior High School in the Central Region.
“There are many requests for the establishment of new districts. It is not peculiar to Agona alone, all over the country I have received requests for creation of new districts,” he said.
President Mahama explained that, although “principal constitutional mandate for creating new districts rests with the Electoral Commission,” it has to work closely with recommendations from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.
“I want to assure that districts will be created but in a comprehensive manner. They are not to be created individually. We would look at what the population numbers are in the various districts and those that qualify to be created as new districts will be given new districts and I assure you that when this process takes place, Agona Nyakrom is not going to be left out, I can assure you Nana,” Mahama added.
President Mahama is currently in the Central Region on a five-day campaign tour aimed at convincing people in the region to support his second term bid in office.
New districts in 2012
The governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) few months to the 2012 election, created 46 new districts and pursuant to that Electoral Commission created 45 new constituencies amidst some controversies over the re-demarcation.
Currently, the total number of MMDAs in Ghana stands at 216, while the constituencies are 275.
Why new districts
Local governance analysts believe the creation of districts is to basically bring development to the door steps of citizens.
The then Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Akwasi Oppong-Fosu, in 2014, cited inadequate funding as one of the major constraints affecting the newly created districts.
He said due to funding challenges, major projects had not taken effect as promised by government, explaining that some of the new districts that were created in 2003 and 2007, were also being accommodated in rented premises.
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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin