Minister calms tempers as Assembly rejects President's nominee

Akososmbo (E/R), July 20, GNA - Confusion broke out as supporters of the President's nominee for the post of District Chief Executive (DCE) for the Asuogyaman District attacked and slapped some members of the Assembly when the nominee failed to secure the required two thirds majority vote to confirm him as the DCE.

The nominee, Mr Emmanuel Willington Ntow Bediako, 66, an educationist secured 24 votes representing 62.4 per cent of the 39 votes cast by the Assembly members at a special meeting called for the confirmation of the nominee on Wednesday.

To get the nod of the Assembly the nominee requires 26 of the votes cast.

Mr Bediako's supporters accused the members of the Asuogyaman District Assembly they attacked of voting against Mr Bediako. The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Yaw Barimah and his Deputy Ms Susana Mensah had to intervene to calm down tempers before peace was restored at the Assembly meeting.

The Minister of Information, Mr Dan Botwe who was present at the function immediately left the Assembly when the confusion broke out.

Other officials present at the function included a Member of the Council of State, Mr Yaw G. Asante, Eastern Regional Chairman of New Patriotic Party Nana Adi Ankama and the MP for the area Mr Kofi Osei. When the former DCE, Dr Godfred Kofi Siaw who was present at the function was about to board his vehicle after the elections, another group also prevented him from moving the car as they claimed the District had no DCE therefore they would not allow the use of the vehicle assigned for the DCE.

Earlier after the election, Mr Barimah thanked the Assembly members for the peaceful manner they voted saying "you have spoken your minds and that is democracy".

He said after 10 days the elections would be held again and expressed the hope that members would use the "period to reflect so as to come to a consensus".

Mr Bediako becomes the first nominee in the Eastern Region to be rejected by the Assembly after ten other colleagues had sailed through.