No term limits for elected DCEs, let the people decide through votes - Abekuma South MP

The Member of Parliament for Abekuma South, Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, has rejected proposals to impose term limits on elected Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), arguing that their tenure should be determined solely by the electorate rather than by legislation.

Speaking on TV3's Hot Issues programme on Sunday, August 2, 2026, the former Mayor of Accra maintained that democratic choice should remain the ultimate measure of whether an MMDCE continues in office.

Mr. Vanderpuije questioned the logic behind introducing term limits for elected MMDCEs while Members of Parliament are not subject to similar constitutional restrictions.

According to him, both MPs and MMDCEs derive their mandate from the electorate, making it inconsistent to limit one group while allowing the other to seek re-election indefinitely.

"MPs have no term limit, so why would you limit the term of DCEs? And they are all going to be elected to different offices within the jurisdiction," he stated.

He argued that if Ghanaians are entrusted with the power to elect district chief executives, they should also have the authority to decide how long those officials remain in office.

The Abekuma South legislator stressed that effective MMDCEs who continue to enjoy public confidence should not be compelled to leave office because of statutory term limits.

He noted that district chief executives work closely with residents at the grassroots level and are directly accountable to the communities they serve.

According to him, voters are best placed to assess whether an MMDCE has delivered on campaign promises and deserves another term.

"Chief Executives are with the people at the grassroots. If they love their Chief Executive and he is doing well and continues to work for them, why would you take that away from them?" he asked.

Mr. Vanderpuije insisted that elections provide the most appropriate mechanism for ensuring accountability in local governance.

He argued that voters should have the freedom to retain competent leaders or replace those who fail to meet expectations without government-imposed limits.

"No (to a term limit). Let the vote of the people change their person in office; otherwise, you may throw the baby out with the bathwater," he said.

The former Accra Mayor warned that mandatory term limits could remove capable and experienced local leaders who still command overwhelming public support.

The MP further argued that elected officials who continue to deliver results should not be prevented from serving additional terms simply because of legal restrictions.

Instead, he said, democratic elections should remain the determining factor in leadership renewal at the local government level.

"Somebody who is doing a good job, the people love him, they want him to continue, and then you use a law to remove him. If the people love their person and he is doing a good job, let him continue," he said.

At the same time, he emphasised that underperforming MMDCEs should be removed through the ballot box.

"If they don't want him because he is not doing a good job, then let them use the vote to say you are done; let somebody else come," he concluded.

Mr. Vanderpuije's comments come amid ongoing national discussions on reforms to Ghana's local government system, including proposals relating to the election, tenure and accountability of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives.

Supporters of term limits argue they would encourage leadership renewal and prevent the concentration of power, while opponents believe voters should retain the unrestricted right to decide whether elected local officials deserve another term.