NPP supporters in Abuakwa protest

A number of supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Abuakwa Constituency in the Eastern Region have vowed to resist, with reasonable force, attempts by individuals or groups of persons to kick against the endorsement of Mr Emmanuel Odei as the East Akyem District Chief Executive.

According to the group , they will create mayhem in the area if the President’s nominee is replaced. A spokesman of the supporters, Mr D.D. Amponsah, who said this at a news conference at Koforidua, said, “ If Mr Odei is changed , the whole district will be full of disturbances and chaos because his supporters will overreact.”

He said since Mr Odei, a Principal Accountant with the Statistical Services, was nominated by the President about two months ago, the assembly should be allowed to meet to either endorse or reject him. He said though the assembly was scheduled to undertake the voting exercise last Monday, the Presiding Member , Mr Ampofo Duodu, informed the members that he had received a letter from the Regional Minister, Dr Francis Osafo-Mensah, requesting the assembly to postpone the said meeting. “

We have received some disturbing reports that the Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa, Nana Akufo-Addo, the Okyehene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, and a Member of the Council of State, Mr Fred Asante, are parading the corridors of political authority to change the President’s nominee,” he said.

Mr Amponsah further alleged that it is the intention of the three personalities to replace Mr Odei, who hails from Apedwa, with one Emmanuel Victor Asihene , a Land Valuer, who is a native of Kyebi and is said to be a relation of the MP and the Okyehene. The spokesman made reference to Article 243 of the 1992 Constitution which deals with decentralisation and local government and explained that it is only the President who has the power to nominate a candidate for the position of DCE.

Mr Amponsah said under the same article, assembly members have also been vested with the powers to either confirm or reject the President’s nominee. He described the nomination of Mr Odei as a step in the right direction, since both the Member of the Council of State and the MP hail from Kyebi.

The spokesman accused the Kyebi Royal Family of claiming superiority in the district and said, “This is the time for the people to liberate themselves.” He advised chiefs to adhere to their non-partisan position as spelled out in the constitution and also called on those opposed to Mr Odei’s nomination to “ respect the President’s office and take a lesson from what the twelve districts of the Volta Region did.”