The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has urged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives not to get caught up in the “Honourable” and “Excellency” game, but, rather focus on discharging their duties to the satisfaction of the people in their localities.
According to President Akufo-Addo, the change that Ghanaians voted for in the elections of December 2016 starts with the attitude MMDCEs will adopt towards people, stressing that “the best efforts of the President of the Republic and the Ministers of State will be brought to naught, if you in this room do not perform creditably.”
The people of Ghana, the President stressed, “will see and feel and know the change they voted for has truly arrived, if and when their Chief Executive delivers on the promises of government.”
President Akufo-Addo made this known on Wednesday, 5th July, 2017, when he addressed an orientation programme organized for the 199 approved MMDCEs by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Government, at the Institute of Local Government Services, at Ogbojo.
“Chief Executives, change will be measured in better sanitation and a more wholesome environment; people will know there is change when the quality of local schools improve; they will know there is change when there are jobs for young people; and they will know there is change when officials come to work on time,” he said.
The President continued, “The people in your districts, municipalities and metropolises are not looking for a different set of people from the last set to lord it over them. They are not looking for a new set of people to jump the red lights and traffic queues, instead of working to find solutions to the traffic jams for all of us.”
President Akufo-Addo noted, however, that Ghanaians will know there has been no change, if a three unit classroom block is still built at exorbitant cost to the state, and if contractors are not being paid on time, and businesses are suffering.
“Above all, people will know there has been change when their Chief Executives are seen to be implementing the promises in the NPP Manifesto. They will know change has come when you treat them with courtesy and humility as their servant. They will know that change has come when the galamsey menace has been defeated in your locality,” he added.
The President told the gathering that Ghanaians are looking for a higher standard of conduct from current public officials than in the recent past.
To this end, “you, like all of us in central and regional government, have to live up to that expectation. It begins with the declaration of your assets as demanded by the Public Office Holders (Declaration of Assets and Disqualification) Act, 1998, (Act 550), (Schedule 1 (V)).”
The Office of the President, he indicated, “will submit all your names to the Auditor General by Monday, 10th July, whereafter you will be expected within two weeks to file your assets declaration forms. That exercise will be monitored. It is important that the Ghanaian people understand that, for us, public service is exactly that, public service, not personal gain.”
As Chief Executives, the President stressed that “you have my confidence and trust. The people of Ghana have put their hopes in us. We dare not betray their trust. This is a sacred opportunity. Join me to make this nation the happy and prosperous place it should be.”
