Keta District Assembly turned down nominee

Keta, Sept 30, GNA - The District Assembly on Thursday rejected Miss Gifty Amah Ayeh, the Presidential nominee for District Chief Executive for Keta.

The assembly failed to give her the two-third majority votes required for her confirmation at the second extra-ordinary meeting of the assembly at Keta on Thursday.

She obtained 26 votes in favour and 36 against in the ballot cast by 63 of the 69-member Assembly with one invalid vote. She needed 43 votes to secure the two-third majority.

In the first voting 10 days ago the nominee had 40 votes in favour and 23 against, losing the job by a single.

Thus, Miss Ayeh has lost the chance of becoming the DCE for the area, and the President is required by dictates of the Local Government Law to nominate a new candidate for the position.

Miss Ayeh, a teacher, is a government representative on the National Media Commission (NMC). She is the National Secretary of the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG) and was nominated following the resignation of Mr. Emmanuel Vorkeh.

Before the balloting the Presiding Member of the Assembly, Squadron Leader Armstrong Segbefia (RTD), refused Major Courage Quarshigah (RTD), the Minister of Agriculture and Capt Nkrabea Effah-Dartey (RTD), a deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development as well as the nominee addressing the Assembly.

He said such an address could influence the independent position of the individual members, negative to the democratic principles.

Capt Effah-Dartey said the turning down of the nominee would affect the running of the district, particularly at a time when the President is too busy to think about a new candidate.

"I respect your decision but I am not happy with it. The Volta Regional Minister will have to continue running the district from Ho. No development can go on", he said.

"With the elections near, the President may not nominate any candidate until next year. I feel sorry but it is your right to say 'no' or 'yes'. "

Maj Quarshigah said the nominee's position was not in any political. "It is a disappointment. You have lost a brilliant material."