The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has rejected the government’s proposal for the selection of candidates for the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), insisting that districts must be allowed to independently choose their leaders.

Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, September 9, the TUC Secretary-General, Joshua Ansah, said such an arrangement would undermine the independence of local government and limit the ability of residents to freely choose their MMDCEs.

“TUC totally disagrees with the proposal by the government that, for the election of MMDCEs, an incumbent government will select only five candidates, out of which three would be shortlisted as candidates for election as MMDCEs,” he said.

“In the opinion of TUC, districts must be allowed the autonomy to conduct their elections without a central government selecting candidates for them,” he added.

The TUC is therefore calling for a system that allows residents at the district level to freely determine the candidates and elect their MMDCEs without central government interference.

The position forms part of the TUC’s broader call for reforms that strengthen local governance and give communities greater control over decisions affecting their districts.