Exclude Government Appointees From The Assembly Concept

A senior Citizen and a former Assemblyman of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly, Mr. Francis Kobena Eghan, popularly known as “Abaatan,” have called for the exclusion of Government Appointees from the Metropolitan, Municipal and the District Assembly Concept.

In an interview with the Daily Dispatch in Takoradi, Mr. Eghan conceded that the inclusion of Government Appointees in the Assemblies concept was necessary at the early stage to enable them share their professional experiences with the elected Assembly members.

However, he noted that the role of the Government Appointees of late has become political and a “Rubber Stamp” in most of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies where they use their number to support whatever, topic or decision the Chief Executives bring to the House without questioning.

Mr. Eghan observed that both the New Patriotic Party, (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), are guilty of appointing their own people who lost elation into the Assemblies as Government Appointees. They all end up becoming “rubber stamps” for the Government.

He said the Government Appointees were expected to share their professional experiences at the Sub-Committee level and not to preside over the elected Assembly members.

Mr. Eghan said the presence of these Government Appointees in most of the Assemblies prevent better decisions to be taken by the elected Assembly members who are directly responsible to the electorates.

He pointed out that Members of Parliament (MPs), who come to the Assemblies do not have “voting rights” but they take Sitting Allowance when they attend Assembly meetings. The same must be done to Government Appointees.

Mr. Eghan said parliament has no Government Appointees and the same must apply to the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.