<<Print>>

Following the gruesome murder of the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the Nkwanta South District Assembly, Peter Kenyeso, on Monday, 2 November, 2014,the Centre for Local Government (CLGA), is urging the Ministries of Local Government and Rural Development, Interior, and the Office of the President, to as a matter of urgency come out with practical measures to ensure the security of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in order to prevent the reoccurrence of the Nkwanta South episode since all MMDCEs are now living in fear. In a press release yesterday, the Acting Director of the CLGA, Dr. Vladimir Antwi Danso expressed shock at the horrifying murder of the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the Nkwanta South District Assembly, Hon. Peter Kenyeso. It condemned the barbaric act and called on well-meaning Ghanaians to join hands with the security agencies to arrest the perpetrators and bring them to book. The release further drew the nation�s attention to Section 20 (3d) of the Local Government Act 462 of 1993 which makes MMDCEs �the chief representative of the central Government in at the District�. ��It therefore implies that MMDCEs are required to be accorded all the protection and courtesies extended to similar central government representatives in the performance of their duties�� Dr. Vladimir Antwi Danso stated. CLGA added that it seems the security and safety of MMDCEs have been relegated to the background and not given the attention by the nation saying, �This obviously does not promote good local governance because most MMDCEs are now living in fear and obviously affecting their ability to manage and lead their Local Government as required��. It averred that in most cases, the protection of MMDCEs is left in the hands of City Guards and municipal task force members, who may not possess the required standard security proficiency to protect such important central government representatives. The release sympathized with the bereaved family, the MMDCEs caucus in the Volta region and the entire Local Government fraternity on the death of Hon. Peter Kenyenso in the course of duty.