Assemblies urged not to frustrate appointment of DCEs

Saltpond (C/R), Sept. 30, GNA - The Western Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Boahen Aidoo on Monday urged Ghanaians not to allow petty jealousies and personal issues overcloud their sense of judgement when voting for confirmation of nominees for appointment as District Chief Executives.

He said development of the districts vis-a-vis the welfare of the people should take precedence over anything else. Mr Aidoo, who is exercising oversight responsibility over Central Region in the absence of Mr Isaac Edumadze, the substantive Regional Minister, who is on leave, was speaking to members of the Mfantseman District Assembly at Saltpond.

He is also the Acting District Chief Executive for Mfantseman. The DCE for Mfantseman was relieved of his post in March, this year. The Regional Minister said the vetting process of people vying for the post when DCE's position becomes vacant takes some time to go through and added that long absence of a District Chief Executive retarded development of a district.

He therefore, urged assemblies without substantive DCEs to bury personal differences and vote massively for President's nominees. Mr Aidoo cautioned DCEs against the type of people they take as advisors since like a chief, bad advisors could corrupt their work. Mr Frank Neequaye, the Presiding Member of the assembly announced that the assembly would meet on Friday, October 3, to approve nomination of Mr Robert Quainoo Arthur as DCE for the district.

He assured the Acting Regional Minister that the assembly would vote massively for the nominee.

Mr Neequaye said the assembly, since its inception, had never rejected any nominee for the post of DCE and said history will repeat itself on Friday.

Mr. Stephen Yaw Simpe, a Spare-parts Dealer in the 1980s, but currently unemployed said a storey building he put up at Koforidua was confiscated to the state to defray a 941,000 cedis tax he owed the state.

He said he was ordered to declare his assets by the Citizen Vetting Committee, chaired by Mr. Tetteh Mensah and was sentenced to pay a fine of 1.7 million cedis in default of tax payment, which he paid leaving a balance of 941,000 cedis.

Mr. Simpe said the building was valued at 981,000 cedis that was used to defray the 941,000 cedis balance, adding that he later received a letter from Mr. Mensah that his house had been confiscated to the state.

He said Mr. Akresi Sarpong, then Eastern Regional Secretary stayed in the house for 10 years, including Mr. Entwi, Eastern Regional CDR Chairman and some cadres.

He said after Mr. Akresi Sarpong vacated the premises, Mr. Entwi took over the house and reared his sheep on the third floor. Mr. Simpe said in 1982, being a member of the Progress Party, one Police Sergeant John ordered him to report at the Koforidua Central Police Station where he was interrogated for buying a party certificate for 2000 cedis.

He appealed to the NRC to help him get back his confiscated house.