Rejections galore at DCE elections

It was an excruciating weekend for some nominated District Chief Executives (DCEs) as their respective assemblies rejected them in the presence of high-profile government appointees who were mandated to rally support for them.

Most of the DCEs failed to secure two thirds majority votes to disappointment of the government officials, mostly ministers of state.

At the Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam (AEE) District in the Central Region, a threat by a Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Baba Jamal to assembly members to confirm the nominated DCE for the area, Peter Light Koomson proved futile as they rejected him on Friday.

Earlier, Mr Jamal threatened to dismiss the government appointees.

Last week, 14 government appointees were sacked at the Assin North Municipal Assembly.

Mr Jamal held a meeting with the government appointees in Mr Koomson’s office for one hour before voting.

The meeting was attended by Kofi Adams, Spokesperson for former President Jerry John Rawlings, Regional NDC Communication Director, Bernard Allotey Jacobs, NDC Regional Chairman, Adu Yeboah, Central Regional Minister Samuel Sarpong and his Deputy Queenstar Pokuah Sawyer as well as Municipal and District Chief Executives in the region.

Some of the government appointees told DAILY GUIDE that during the meeting Mr Jamal asked them to vote for the DCE or be sacked by President John Dramani Mahama.

They hinted that the Deputy Local Government Minister told them that the President has the prerogative to sack them if they oppose the nominated MDCEs.

Some of the assembly members questioned the President’s democratic credentials.

They wondered why President Mahama would force them to vote for incompetent DCEs and MCEs.

The NDC gurus later held a meeting with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) assembly members and pleaded with them to forgive the DCE for his deeds during the 2012 general elections.

DAILY GUIDE learnt that Mr Koomson allegedly paid GHC500 to all assembly members to vote for him.

The assembly members vowed to collect and spend any money the DCE would give to them in the next election and vote against him again, the paper gathered.

Machomen

DAILY GUIDE spotted some heavily-built men numbering about 15 wearing red T-shirts with the inscription “U and I were not there and Dr Pink Sheet blank sheet is equal to zero,” a situation which infuriated some NPP assembly members.

The ‘macho’ men later removed the T-shirts.

Drama unfolded at the venue when an NDC guru, popularly known as “Yellow” prevented this reporter from entering the hall.

He said he had been instructed not to allow the paper to enter the premises due its uncomplimentary commentary about Mr Light Koomson.

The embattled DCE polled 41 votes out of a total of 66 votes.

The DCE was first rejected in 2008 when the late President John Evans Atta Mills nominated him for the position.

All the NDC gurus in the region to trooped to the area to plead on his behalf at the time.

Asikuma Odoben

In another development, the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa (AOB) also rejected Samuel Adom Botwe, the President’s nominee for the DCE post . He had 27 out of 45 votes of the assembly members present in an election supervised by the AOB district Electoral officer, Gabriel Dowuna Hammond.

According to Mr Hammond, since Mr Botwe failed to obtain two-thirds majority of the votes of the Assembly members present needed for his confirmation, another election would have to be conducted after 10 days as stated in the Standing Orders of the District Assembly.

Samuel Sarpong, Central Regional Minister and Baba Jamal, Deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, in separate speeches, expressed optimism that the Assembly Members would change vote for the nominee in the next election.

Queenstar Maame Pokuwaa Sawyer, Central Regional Deputy Minister and Acting DCE for the area, had earlier urged the Assembly members to place the interest of the area above their political affiliations and endorse the President’s nominee.

Suhum Rejects Nominee

At the Suhum Municipal Assembly, members on Friday rejected Samuel Fleischer-Kwabi, the President’s nominee as the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the area.

Mr Fleischer-Kwabi polled 22 out of the 40 votes cast, representing 55 percent.

The election was supervised by the Electoral Commission (EC), led by the Eastern Regional Director, Paul Boateng.

Earlier in an address, Osabarima Ayeh Kofi, Chief of Suhum, said he personally appealed to President John Dramani Mahama, to re-nominate Mr Fleischer-Kwabi as the MCE of the area since he had brought a lot of development to the area.

He said every chief would want development in his area for the betterment of the people and therefore recommended the MCE for re-nomination to help bring more development projects to the area.

Ms Mavis Ama Frimpong said the President had acknowledged the hard work of Mr Fleischer-Kwabi and urged the gathered Assembly members to confirm him.

Mfantseman MCE confirmed

However, Henry Kweku Hayfron, the President’s nominee for Mfantseman Municipal Chief Executive was on Thursday confirmed by the Assembly.

He polled 39 votes out of a total of 52. One vote was rejected.

The election was conducted by the Municipal Electoral Officer, Stephen Bertino Baabeyerir.

Samuel Sarpong, Central Regional Minister and his Deputy, Queenstar Maame Pokua Sawyer graced the occasion.

In an acceptance speech, Mr Hayfron thanked the members for reposing confidence in him.

He assured them that he would continue to play the role of a team leader of the Assembly to develop the Municipality.

Mary Oduro, Municipal Magistrate, led Hayfron to swear the oaths of allegiance, office and secrecy.

Yilo Krobo

Members of the Yilo Krobo District Assembly confirmed Andrews Soda as Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the area. At a special meeting at Somanya on Friday, Mr Soda, the incumbent MCE, polled 62 votes, representing 98.38 percent. The elated MCE promised to collaborate with the Assembly members to move the Yilo Krobo Municipal to higher heights. Mavis Ama Frimpong, the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, commended the Assembly for confirming the President’s nominee in a peaceful manner.

She congratulated the MCE on his victory and urged him to work tirelessly to help build the country.