By Aaron Hammond 
For many years our two giant political parties have been fighting over local government elections without reaching any real agreement. The Institute for Democratic Governance popularly known as IDEG is now calling on both the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party to sit down and build true consensus.
The Executive Director of IDEG Dr Emmanuel Akwetey made this strong appeal during a national dialogue on decentralisation held in Accra. He clearly pointed out that the endless disagreement over how we choose our Metropolitan Municipal and District Chief Executives is holding back local development.
If you remember the failed 2019 referendum you will realize that political division always ruins good plans for our communities. While some leaders want political parties to contest MMDCE positions openly others strongly believe the positions should strictly remain non partisan. This ideological tug of war only leaves citizens confused and suffering.
Dr Akwetey IDEG boss logically suggested a balanced middle ground where political parties can participate while still giving fair space to independent candidates. He also reminded everyone that local governance must actively include women young people persons with disability and traditional leaders so nobody feels left behind in our democracy.
The IDEG boss also proposed a very clever solution to solve the current political tension. He wisely suggested allowing political parties to participate while keeping open spaces for credible independent candidates. This balanced approach will surely build trust and improve accountability at the grassroots level.
It is high time our political leaders stop arguing over power and focus on what actually develops our local districts. If the NDC and NPP can finally shake hands and agree on a clear electoral formula our local government system will perform much better for every Ghanaian.
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