Group protests against DCE nomination

Sunyani, April 27, GNA - A group of concerned citizens of Jaman South District in the Brong-Ahafo Region on Monday registered their displeasure over President Mills' nominee, Mr Julius Atta Bediako, as Jaman South District Chief Executive.

The group contended in a statement made available to Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani that "We are aware that Mr Pierre Ankomah, the NDC Parliamentary Candidate for the area in Election 2008, was the first on the list of three contenders who were vying for the post of DCE for Jaman South.

"We are also aware that the name of Mr Attah Bediako, who has been selected for the post, was not on the list even though he attended the interview that was conducted by the National Appointments Committee," they said.

They explained: "Even though Mr Ankomah had talked to us the supporters on air that we should keep calm, we are still worried that nobody has told him anything yet".

"We therefore believe that Mr Pierre Ankomah has been given a raw deal," the group added.

They explained that they intended to stage a demonstration against the way Mr Ankomah, a former Techiman Municipal Director of National Commission for Civic Education, had been treated but alleged that the police "denied us this constitutional right".

"We would like President John Evans Atta Mills to be aware that we are not fighting against his nomination. But the fact is that Mr Pierre Ankomah was chosen by the Appointments Committee and confirmed but, for reasons best known to members of the Executive Committee, they conspired to ensure that the post was not given to him," they emphasised. They expressed optimism that President Mills "will consider his plight and do something about his situation" in fulfilment of his promise during the electioneering campaigns to appoint the Party's Parliamentary Candidates who would lose as DCEs and MCEs. The group cautioned that if this problem was not resolved as soon as possible, a sizeable number of disgruntled members would leave the Party and that would not augur well for the strength of the Party in the district.

Some of the concerned citizens who trooped to the GNA office in Sunyani were Mr Anthony Okrah of Drobo, Mr Joseph Ankomah of Babianeha, Nana Kwame Boateng, Chief of Babianeha, Mr Kwame Agyei of Drobo, and Mr Kwadwo Tanoh of Katakyiekrom.