He said the committee, which should be chaired by the President, should be responsible for policy formulation and implementation.

He made the proposal at his inaugural annual lecture last Thursday in Accra where he pointed out a 15-point programme of action for the future of democratic decentralisation for development.

Prof. Ahwoi, who directly, supervised and chaired the inter-ministerial task force that prepared the first major legislation on decentralisation local government in the country, the Local Government Law, 1988, Provisional National Defense Council Law (PNDCL) 207, said the proposal was to prevent extreme polarisation and partisanship that characterised the level of national politics.

Unapparelled luxury
“What is important is which consequential amendments must be made to the 1992 Constitution. Two examples stand out as pre condition on which a consensus must be arrived at before the local government system may be made partisan if we are to avoid a “BREXIT” type referendum,” he said.

He said there must be a consensus on the issue of the election of metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs), saying constitutionally, they could be elected without making the district assembly system partisan.

Speaking on the theme, “Decentralisation, local governance and local development in Ghana: The past, present and the future,” Prof. Ahwoi asked if local government elections would continue to be state-sponsored or whether the burden of sponsoring candidates should be shifted to the political parties under a partisan local government system.

“A simple constitutional amendment will resolve the issue,” he said.

Election of MMDCEs
Prof Ahwoi further called for consensus on the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs).

He explained that the MMDCEs could be elected without making the district assembly system partisan.

Setbacks
Prof. Ahwoi observed that one of the major setbacks on the journey to effective fiscal decentralisation has been the capping of the District Assembly Common Fund by the seventh and eighth governments of the Fourth Republic.

“This has been in sharp contrast to what the third and fourth governments of the Fourth Republic did by increasing the fund from five to 7.5 per cent of the total national revenue, an increase that was continued by the fifth and sixth governments of the Fourth Republic,” he said.

Prof. Ahwoi said for the future, the District Assembly Common Fund must be restored to 7.5 per cent of total national revenue or if possible, to 10 per cent.

“These can only be achieved by consultation and consensus. I, therefore, propose that just as was done by our late beloved President, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, in 2009-2010, we convene a national stakeholder conference on decentralisation, irrespective of which political party wins the upcoming elections, and, using the proposals and others that we may come up with as the framework, try to reach the needed consensus that will enable us to secure the decentralisation and local governance future that we all so urgently desire,” he added.

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This, according to the group known as the Volta Caucus, is because the various inaccuracies in the book have become a source of raging controversy between the author and former President Jerry John Rawlings who is the Founder of the party.

“It is in the greater interest of the NDC and Ghana that we are seeking this and anticipating peace to prevail,” part of a statement released by the group read.

In the statement, signed by some 12 regional executives representing the group, the Volta Caucus also called for calm and unity within the ranks and file of the party.

They said they were “saddened that this issue will come up at such a crucial time when Ghanaians are crying for an electoral rescue from the maladministration and misrule of the Nana Akufo-Addo-led government.”

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They are, therefore, urging the two factions to “allow cool heads to prevail, so there can be unity for the collective good of the party.

“The 2020 election is so crucial requiring all energy and hands-on-deck because it is that election which will again define Ghana’s destiny. It is an election which will have good triumph over evil and to return Ghana onto the path of development, departing from the status quo; an affinity for treachery and engagement in divisive politics; a typical case as we witnessed and suffered during the recent Voters Registration exercise.”

READ FULL STATEMENT BELOW:

The decision by Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang to forward the controversial book: ‘Working with Rawlings’ by Prof. Kwamena Ahwoi could have dire consequences on her political career.

Veteran journalist, Abdul Malik Kwaku Baako, said the National Democratic Congress (NDC) running mate has shot herself in the foot.

It has emerged that Prof. Opoku-Agyemang wrote the forward of the book which has exposed the good, bad and ugly sides in the erstwhile Rawlings administration.

The book by Prof. Ahwoi has sent tongues wagging after making serious disclosures, especially about the conduct of Mr Rawlings in and out of power.

He revealed, among other things, how the former President’s incessant vitriolic attacks on late President Atta Mills nearly made him (Mills) resign.

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Many pundits have questioned the timing of the release of the book when in fact Mr Rawlings was seemingly being lured back to the NDC.

However, the role played by the party’s running mate, Mr Baako said could affect her relationship with the former first family.

Though it is obvious Prof. Opoku-Agyemang did not appreciate the repercussion of the timing for the release of the book, he said she might suffer some consequence.

“Because her [Naana] membership is not too deep-rooted, that’s why maybe she didn’t appreciate the repercussions of this book in terms of timing of its release,” he said.

Given the reactions from within the NDC since the book was launched, Mr Baako is certain it will create problems for the NDC.

“The things in this book will create a lot of problems within the NDC; already Mr Rawlings has spoken and he will soon roar,” he added.