Accra, July 25, GNA - Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, on Tuesday said the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Government still believed in the election of District Chief Executives (DCE.

He said the process to elect DCEs instead of appointing them was still on course in fulfilment of the NPP Manifesto.

"We believe in the elective process... DCEs must be elected. We have heard a lot of debate on the issue and I believe we must take into account the pros and cons. We have started the process," the Minister said in response to a question in Parliament.

Mr Alfred Agbesi, NDC-Ashaiman, had asked about plans put in place for DCEs to be elected in the impending assembly elections. Mr Asamoah-Boateng said in accordance with the Constitution, the President appointed DCEs with the prior approval of not less than two-thirds majority of the assembly members present and voting at a meeting.

"This procedure has been followed since the inception of the non-partisan district assembly concept. I am aware that the NPP Manifesto of 2000 indicated a move towards the election of Chief Executives.

"It is, however, important to note that there is no comprehensive report available to lead to this end. The debate is on and it would be appropriate to let the public understand the pros and cons," the Minister said.

In response to a question from the Majority Chief Whip, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, on whether the Ministry would consider convening a national conference on the issue of electing DCEs, Mr Asamoah Boateng said: "I think it is a good suggestion, which I will take on board." To another question on why it had taken the NPP Government so long to implement such a move since the Party would be out of government in 2008, the Minister said the process had been started and restructuring was taking place at the unit committee level.

Responding to another question from Alhaji Yakubu Imoro, NDC-Kumbungu, on what disqualified Kumbungu in the Northern Region from having a district and when it would become a district; the Minister said no request had been made from the community to upgrade the area into a district.

He said some requirements were needed to qualify an area as a district and these were if the area had a minimum population of 75,000 people, was economically viable and had the means to provide basic infrastructure. 25 July 06