Assembly rejects President's nominee

The President's new nominee for the post of District Chief Executive (DCE) for Twifo Hemang-Lower-Denkyira, Kennedy Sarpong, has been rejected in a confirmation poll.

He polled 12 out of the 24 expected votes with one absentee. The votes fell below the two-thirds majority needed to get the nod.

However, immediately after the exercise, scores of party sympathizers, friends and the general public converged at the forecourt of the Assembly and rained insults on Assembly Members for rejecting the nominee.

It took the timely intervention of the MP for the Area, Rev. Bright Wereko Brobbey, to calm tempers and nerves of the angry mob who hooted at the police and some key members of the Assembly they suspected to have voted against the nominee.

Effie Hilda Ephson, an official of the Electoral Commission (EC) who supervised the process postponed the election to Tuesday, June 17, 2019.

The exercise followed the removal of the former DCE, Mr. Emmanuel Kojo Nanah by the President last month due to ill health, which had caused agitations at the Assembly with some Members championing for his removal.

Mr. Emmanuel Kojo Nanah was nominated as DCE in May 2017 but was met with stiff opposition from some purported high ranking members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) but he was eventually confirmed with a two-third majority.

The rejected nominee, who was the Constituency Secretary for the ruling Party had called for calm and unity among the rank and file of the Assembly Members and appealed to them to bury their differences and vote massively for him.

Mr. Sarpong who was obviously not elated at the turn of events described his rejection as a show of their democratic right and a step towards deepening Ghana's democracy and pledged to re-engage the Assembly Members and expressed hope to win massively to bring the needed development to the people.

"I am not perturbed at all. I'm not moved by this but optimistic that in no time, you will all be living witnesses to my successful confirmation', he assured.

Mr. Kwamena Duncan, the Regional Minister, who witnessed the electoral process, said the Government would abide by their decision because this was what democracy meant.

Member of Parliament (MP) for the area appealed to the Assembly Members to endorse the nominee for rapid development of the District.

Some Assembly members told the GNA that they declined to vote for the President's nominee because due process was not followed after the announcement of the former DCE.

"We are not happy with how they treated the former DCE whose removal is yet to be communicated officially to him. Until the right things are done, we will also marshal resources to vote against the new one."

"The man has done his best for the District and the Party and should be recognized and accorded the needed respect. He has so far done well and we will not allow his reputation to be tarnished," they stated.