Successive governments have been criticized for unnecessarily interfering in the activities of metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs). According a local government expert, George Kyei-Baffuor, governments’ inference in projects at the local level, which he considered as “negative” have persisted for too long and must be stopped. “MMDAs per say are not necessarily appendage to parties in power, and assemblies are supposed to be non-partisan and functions of the assembly are defined by law,” he told Joy News. His comments come in the wake of a recent government’s intervention in a demolition exercise earmarked by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly around the Novotel Hotel area. He said since MMDAs are statutory bodies that can sue and can be sued, and for that matter their establishment is by law, should be left to operate freely without any string from the central government. Mr Kyei-Baffuor noted that without freedom to operate, the MMDAs’ democracy and accountability would be undermined. “Time to take the bull by the horn to put a stop to this kind of negative interference,” he encouraged. Meanwhile the AMA says it will embark on its intended demolition exercise near the Novetel Hotel on Sunday. Story by Myjoyonline.com/Ghana