A staggering 143 aspirants have expressed interest in local governance by vying for the position of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in the Oti Region.

An update on the submission of applications for MDCEs in the Oti Region, which was being monitored by the Ghana News Agency (GNA), indicated that Krachi East Municipal topped the list with 23 applicants, followed by Nkwanta South Municipal with 20 aspirants, and Krachi West Municipal and the Biakoye District gaining 19 and 18 aspirants respectively.

From the least number of aspirants, the Akan and Guan Districts respectively presented 12 applicants, while Nkwanta North, Buem and Krachi Nchumuru Districts had 13 persons each.

This unprecedented number of aspirants underscored the growing desire of the citizenry to contribute to the region’s development and implement government policies at the local level.

The MDCEs position is a vital one, as it plays a pivotal role in overseeing the administration of respective Districts and Municipalities.

The successful candidates will be responsible for working closely with local stakeholders to identify and address pressing development needs.

The National Democratic Congress has instructed the regional vetting committee to ensure that applicants meet the eligibility criteria for Members of Parliament as stipulated in Article 94(3) (c) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, and the committee must also consider customary, geographical and ethic balance when shortlisting the top three applicants.