[ 2017-01-24 ]

Alima Mahama justifies firing of MMDCEs before her confirmation
Local Government Minister Nominee, Hajia Alima
Mahama, has explained that the termination of the
appointments of all Metropolitan, Municipal and
District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), after
President Akufo-Addo’s inauguration, was not in
contravention of the law.

Hajia Alima Mahama, also MP for Nalerigu-Gambaga,
said this when she appeared before the
Appointments Committee to be vetted on Monday.

Shortly after she was nominated, the former Deputy
Local Government Minister, who also at one-time
served as a Minister for Women and Children’s
Affairs in the Kufuor administration, signed a
letter that revoked the appointment of all
MMDCEs.

Portions of the letter she wrote read, “By
virtue of Article 243 (3)(b) of the constitution
of the republic, H.E the president of the republic
has revoked the appointment of all MMDCEs with
immediate effect.

In this regard, all MMDCEs are directed to hand
over their relevant duties to Coordinating
Directors for further instruction.”

She was later criticized for signing off such a
decision considering that her nomination had not
yet been confirmed. Others also said the action
was hasty, considering new MMDCEs were yet to be
appointed to fill the positions.

Clarifying her action to the Appointments
Committee, she said she was asked by the president
to carry out that task in accordance with the
constitution and the provisions in the
transitional act.

“In the constitution, Article 58(1) says the
executive authority of Ghana shall be vested in
the president and shall be exercised in accordance
with the provision of this constitution.

Then it goes to Article 58(3), which states that
subject to the provisions of this constitution,
the functions conferred on the president by clause
1of this article maybe exercised by him either
directly or through officers subordinate to him.

This is what the constitution says… And once
again as you have alluded, the transitional
provisions 14(1) say on the assumption of office,
those persons specified in the schedule will cease
to hold office and it goes further to say in 14(2)
that the functions of office of a person who
ceases to hold office under sub section 1 shall be
performed by a person so appointed by the
president for the period specified in writing by
the president,” she stated.

She added that, “In the letter dated 9 January,
the president wrote to me, Alima Mahama, directing
that I be his representative to take charge of
affairs of the Ministry of Local Government and
Rural Development.

Following on that, he directed that by virtue of
the powers vested in him in article 243(3), he was
revoking appointments of DCEs and, therefore, I
should go ahead and send out that letter – which
I did.”

Source - citifmonline.com

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