Odumase, May 5, GNA- Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Eastern Regional Minister, on Tuesday urged assembly members not to be deceived that rejecting the President's nominees for the Municipal and District Chief Executive positions would give chance to others they favoured. He said the perception that rejecting a nominee would lead to the nomination of the next person short-listed at the interview was a fallacy that should "not eat into the conscience" of the assembly members for them to be used by others to achieve their selfish motives.
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said competent persons had scrutinized the nominees and taken into considerations all the concerns of the people, therefore, it was only prudent for the assemblies to endorse them without any objections whatsoever.
Speaking at the confirmation of the President's nominee for the Manya Krobo District Assembly, Mr Ofosu- Ampofo emphasized that rejecting a nominee did not make it automatic for another person to be nominated immediately. He added that, "the President who has the sole prerogative would at all cost choose another nominee but it may not be your favourite and it may not be now which could contribute to the delay of the development of the assembly."
Mr Ofosu- Ampofo who was responding to a statement by an assembly member describing the Minister's appeal to members to endorse the nominee as "putting pressure on them" said it was his duty to ensure that the Presidents' nominees were confirmed to move the government's agenda forward. He pointed out that all the 17 districts that the nominees for the positions had been confirmed, he, as the Minister, with the support of the Members of Parliament (MPs), had appealed to assembly members to confirm them, adding that those appeals could not be described as pressure.
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo, who did not mince words, said at places that were perceived to be New Patriotic Party (NPP) strongholds, like Kyebi and Atiwa, the MPs even appealed to the members to vote for the nominees. He said the division and blame game in the Manya Krobo area had taken the district backwards and it was high time people of the assembly recognized the need to endorse the nominee.
The Minister for Manpower and Employment, Mr Stephen Amoanor, who was present at the meeting, said two Krobos including himself had been made ministers and that should not be overlooked in the scheme of affairs. He said the government was bent on creating a good working condition and improving the lot of Ghanaians so people should not for their parochial interests thwart that effort.
