Irate assembly members describe election of Tarkwa MCE as barbaric and irresponsible

Irate assembly members of Tarkwa-Nsuaem in the Western Region who were prevented from voting in the confirmation of the new Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) as required by law have described the action as barbaric, crude, irresponsible.

According to them, they will not rest on their oars but will employ all legitimate means to seek redress and reversal of the unsolicited disgrace brought upon the people of Tarkwa-Nsuaem by the Western Regional Minister and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tarkwa.

They also said the move was an affront to the democratic tenets of the country and a threat to the local governance practice.

Speaking at a press conference organised on Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at Tarkwa, the Spokesperson of the angry assembly members, Papa Kwesi Ephraim, Assembly Member of Kwabedu Electoral Area, registered their anger against the authorities including the Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah and the Member of Parliament for Tarkwa George Mireku-Duker disallowing them to exercise their constitutional rights during the "Rambo-Style" of election without inviting the twenty-two duly elected assembly members as required by law.

Mr. Ephraim stated that the so-called election on which the presidential nominee for the position of the Municipal Chief Executive was confirmed was illegal since it did not follow the legal processes as prescribed by law the local government Act, 2016, Act 936 as amended.

They have, however, refused to recognise Mr. Benjamin Kesse as the legally confirmed MCE for the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Assembly following the shambolic confirmation last week Friday.

They have petitioned the president and all the relevant institutions in the country to take interest in the matter and allow justice to prevail at the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Assembly.

On Wednesday, May 13, 2020, President Akufo-Addo revoked the appointment of the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Chief Executive Gilbert Kenneth Asmah.

Prior to that, the President nominated the former presiding member, Benjamin Kessie, but, as the Local Government Act, Act (963 as amended) requires the assembly to convene a meeting to confirm his nomination.

Unfortunately, the nominee failed in the first attempt to secure the two-thirds majority as the law requires.

Subsequently, machiavellian tactics were adopted by leading members of government to force the confirmation of the MCE down the throats of the Assembly Members, which got their goats.

The Spokesperson of the Aggrieved Assembly Members who is also the Assembly Member Kwabedu Electoral Area in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem municipality, Paa Kwesi Ephraim threatened to seek redress and reversal of the confirmation of the newly elected MCE at the law court.

Mr. Ephraim accused the Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah and Member of Parliament for Tarkwa-Nsuaem George Mireku-Duker describing their conduct as enemies of good governance, democracy and rule of law.