Accra, July 31, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills has cautioned Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives against complacency in the discharge of their work and urged them to be up to the task, else the "axe" would fall on them.

He minced no words about reports of acts of under-performance of some of the Executives reaching his office, and warned against complacency and arrogance, reminding them that each would be held accountable for any mishap that tended to place the government out of favour with the people.

In a tough but straight language laced with anecdotes, the President reminded the Chief Executives that he had no hand in their nomination to their positions, and asked them to justify their appointments and deliver satisfactorily within Government's Better Ghana programme, for which Ghanaians would hold them accountable.

President Mills made the remarks in an interaction with the about 170 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) at the Osu Castle in Accra on Saturday, after they had completed an orientation course at the Institute of Local Government Studies at Madina, also in Accra

President Mills said each of the Executives was appointed based on recommendation from the people at the grassroots, and they therefore had no option than to ensure that their appointments were justified through efficient delivery.

The President also reminded them that they did not only represent him, but were also Presidents in their areas of operation, for which the people would look up to them to utilise the resources available to improve their standards of living.

Their lifestyles, he said, should therefore reflect that of people, who had come to serve, rather than to lord over the people.

The President compared the performance of the MMDCEs to that of writing major examination for which their score would be excellent, very good, good, poor or failure, and added that it was possible to elevate some of them to ministerial positions without necessarily being Members of Parliament.

President Mills acknowledged that some of the MMDCEs had genuine problems as inadequate resources, low revenue generation, which made it difficult to operate on a slim purse, but others were simply even not aware of how to use the available resources to the benefit of the people.

He called for unity and networking among the Chief Executives, urging them to reach out to the people at the grassroots and be confident of themselves as leaders in the communities to effectively discharge their expected roles.

President Mills said with the results of the Better Ghana programme showing positive results among the people, there was light at the end of the tunnel and cautioned the MMDCEs against acts that would derail the progress of Government programmes so that the people would renew the mandate of the National Democratic Congress in 2012.

Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh, Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, urged the MMDCEs to constantly be in touch with people at the grassroots to design programmes that would be of real benefit to the people.