Kpone, April 9, GNA - Members of Kpone-Katamanso Constituency branch of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) have expressed their displeasure at the procedure used in nominating Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs).
They said it was not true that the Party's National Appointments Committee consulted traditional rulers and constituency members in the various districts on the nominees before recommending them to President John Evans Atta Mills for the position.
Mr Anthony Nukpenu, Deputy Youth Organiser of the constituency who spoke on behalf of the members at a press conference on Wednesday at Kpone said due to the inability of the committee to follow due procedure, most party members across the country were against the nominees for their areas.
Flanked by the constituency's party executives, Mr Nukpenu said the NDC should abide by its manifesto and desist from repeating the mistakes of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) which he claimed used executive power to manipulate decisions against the grassroots. Citing examples of some of the lapses in the procedure, he stated that the nominee for Tema Metropolis, Mr Robert Kempes Ofosuware, a 46-year-old Accounts Officer of Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) did not deserve to head the metropolis which was the industrial hub of the country.
Mr Nukpenu explained that Mr Ofosuware picked and filled a form from the Greater Accra Regional Office of the Party without approval from Tema East Constituency which was against the proper procedure. He said the committee also failed to investigate a petition from the constituency against the nominee in connection with some criminal cases against him pending in the courts.
Mr Nukpenu observed that apart from creating tension among members of the Party in the metropolis, the nomination of Mr Ofosuware would affect its credibility due to the alleged fraudulent charges against him. He appealed to President John Evans Atta Mills and the National Appointments Committee to re-examine the nomination of Mr Ofosuware. Mr Ellis Aferi, Kpone-Katamanso NDC Constituency Chairman said Party executives from the three constituencies in the metropolis, were denied the right to question the candidates during the interview at the regional level as expected.
He said even though a consensus was reached among the three constituencies not to present a candidate from Tema West while two people each would be presented from Kpone-Katamanso and Tema East, 12 people were vetted for the position by the Appointments Committee.
