IEA Poll Shocks Political Class: Citizens Want MMDCEs to Apply Like Normal Humans, Not Be Handpicked.
According to a recent national poll conducted by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), the general public demonstrates a strong preference for the election of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in a manner that is not affiliated with any political party. In addition, the poll indicates that the majority of the public prefers that candidates apply on their own rather than being nominated by political leaders. A total of 1,311 Ghanaians who were at least 18 years of age were chosen for the follow-up survey, which was carried out between October 3 and October 20, 2025, in every one of the sixteen areas. According to the results, 71.37 percent of the participants expressed their desire for applicants for the MMDCE to apply on their own. This indicates that there is an increasing need for a selection process that is merit-based and citizen-led at the local government level. The results of the survey indicate that there has been a substantial departure from political gatekeeping in decentralized government, as seen by the fact that just 15.7% of respondents chose the presidential nomination of candidates, while 12.98% favored nomination via assembly structures. The International Energy Agency (IEA) reports that this tendency is a reflection of the increasing unhappiness among the public with regard to political meddling in local government, as well as a strong drive for changes that redefine the way in which power is exercised at the district level. The IEA pointed out that “the findings underscore Ghanaians’ desire for greater autonomy and accountability in local governance.” “Citizens want to see MMDCEs selected based on their qualifications for the job, rather than on their party affiliation or the president’s discretion,” the statement reads. The respondents also pointed out that the implementation of individual applications would improve transparency and decrease patronage in the leadership of the district.
