The President-elect, Nana Akufo-Addo has made a strong case for the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in 2018.
Appointment of DCEs has become a tool for political patronage, making appointees less accountable to the people.
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Addressing chiefs of the Central regional House of Chiefs, Nana Addo said the time for has come for the election of DCEs and that it cannot be delayed since it is the only way to bring accountability to local government.
DCEs across the country are appointed by the president subject to approval by the assemblies.
"I have to thank you for voting massively for the NPP which resulted in our winning of 19 parliamentary seats including two diehard seats of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the party," he said.
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Critics have dismissed the idea of electing DCEs.
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The Constitutional Review Committee recommended the election of DCEs but a government white paper rejected it, proposing that the president appoints five people who would be vetted by the Public Services Commission for competence after which three nominees would contest in a public election.
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The idea of electing DCEs has become a thorny issue. Both the NDC and NPP have in the past promised to make the position electable but failed to implement it when they came into power.
The President of the Central regional House of chiefs, Oberempong Nyamfo Krampah XI, on his part appealed to Nana Addo to help restore the lost glory of the chieftaincy by involving the chiefs in decision making.
