Most Ghanaians Prefer MMDCEs Elected – IEA Poll

 

 

Poll conducted by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has revealed public support for the election of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), with a significant majority calling for a non-partisan electoral system.

A statement issued by IEA on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, said the findings come at a time of renewed national debate on local governance reforms, following a proposal by President John Dramani Mahama who advocated for the non-partisan election of MMDCEs in the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) manifesto promise while in opposition.

The proposal revisits a long-standing national conversation, which included a failed attempt in 2019 to amend Articles 55(3) and 243(1) of the Constitution to allow for political party participation in local elections and to make MMDCE positions elective.

That initiative, according to the IEA, was ultimately abandoned due to what the government described as a “lack of broad national consensus.”

The statement added that the IEA’s survey, conducted between August 15 and 26, 2025, collected responses from Ghanaians aged 18 and above across all 16 regions of the country.

The poll sought to assess citizens’ awareness of the current appointment system and their preferences for how MMDCEs should assume office.

“The results indicate that 69.6% of respondents know how MMDCEs currently get into office.  A clear majority reflects a relatively high level of public awareness. However, a notable 30.4% admitted they did not know how the process works, signaling the need for enhanced civic education on the subject,” it noted.

It said 67.9% of respondents expressed preference for electing MMDCEs while only 32.1% preferred the current system of presidential appointment or other non-elective methods.

That, it explained, underscored the public’s desire for more democratic accountability at the local level and lends strong support to the ongoing calls for reform.

“The IEA poll further explored public sentiment on the nature of these elections, asking whether they should be partisan or non-partisan if MMDCEs were to be elected. The results showed a significant lean toward a non-partisan model, with 63.5% of respondents favouring the exclusion of political party affiliations from local elections,” the poll revealed.

IEA further indicated that only 34.7% supported partisan elections, while a small minority 1.8% preferred other methods, reflecting a broader distrust of political parties in local governance and a belief that community development should be made a priority instead of party politics.

By Ebenezer K. Amponsah

 

 

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