Intelligence reports gathered by Daily Guide from Sunyani indicate that 20 Municipal and District Chief Executives (MDCEs) in the Brong Ahafo Region were engaged in a crisis meeting last Friday with the Regional Minister, Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, a day after two of their colleagues were shockingly sacked from office.
Sources at the meeting, which was held at the official residence of the Regional Minister, told Daily Guide that the main agenda was the shake-up which had swept away the Tano North and Asunafo South DCEs, and strategizing on ways to secure their shaky positions.
At the crisis meeting, which lasted several hours, and which was attended by NDC regional executives, constituency chairmen and other party officials, it was decided that a memo be presented to President Mills indicating their unflinching support for their M/DCEs and Regional Minister.
The Regional Minister, Daily Guide learnt, was not safe from the ultimate hammer, as he was said to have disappointed his godfathers in the party.
President Mills last Thursday announced the dismissal of 13 DCEs across the country, two of whom were in the Brong Ahafo Region. They are Asunafo South’s Fleance Danso, whose office was recently locked up by angry NDC foot-soldiers and Dominic Owusu-Amoako of Tano North, who was believed to have been relieved of his post due to ill-health.
DAILY GUIDE sources at the crisis meeting hinted that the Regional Minister and his M/DCEs did not have things easy with the party executives because many of them (NDC executives) were peeved, claiming that most of the DCEs had shown gross disrespect to them and disregarded some of them in their administration.
The paper gathered that the Regional Minister, Mr. Nyamekye-Marfo, was having sleepless nights and had confided in some persons that he could face the axe like the Ashanti Regional Minister Kofi Opoku Manu, who was marched out on Wednesday.
They also alleged that he had plans to travel to the United States soon to escape public ridicule, especially from his “enemies” in the party in case the Castle’s plan to remove him materializes.
In a related development, Charles Takyi-Boadu reports that some District Chief Executives (DCEs) who were affected by President Mills’ ‘action year’ dismissal package have been grumbling over the decision to show them the exit.
Two of the 13 persons including the DCEs for Asunafo South, Fleance Danso and his colleague from the Akuapem South District, Dr Osei Bonsu Twum, were not able to hold back their feelings since the news of their removal became public.
They vented their frustration and disappointment at the President’s decision when they spoke to Accra-based Citi FM yesterday.
In a quivering voice, Mr. Danso, who seemed to be seriously hurt by the decision, said, “I was working alright and have devoted all my time, my energy and everything for the party. And I am working for the betterment of the party and the district as a whole so I don’t see why this should happen to me.”
At the time the shocking news of the dismissal got to him on Thursday, the Asunafo South DCE said he was from the Regional Minister’s office heading towards his district and that it came as a complete surprise to him. “If I deserve to have been removed then I can say that I was not fit for the position.”
With the knowledge of the fact that the President reserved the right to fire and hire his appointees without assigning reasons for his decision, Mr Danso said, “This decision, though it has come, let’s take it like that.”
His colleague Akuapem South DCE, Dr Osei Bonsu, who had also been asked to vacate his position, was yet to overcome the shock.
He was equally not happy with the President’s decision since he did not know the reason, claiming, “I think I have served my nation well and my municipality well and I even served my Regional Minister very well.”
As an obedient servant, Dr Osei Bonsu said, “I supported the RCC anytime we were called upon. But it is the President who determines so I am still waiting for further directions.”
Though it was still not clear what considerations informed the President’s decision in removing the 13 DCEs, it was believed he acted out of party foot-soldiers’ agitations.
But Kwahu North DCE, Charles Evans Apraku, who was also affected by the decision, said he was taking things easy, since according to him, as a professional, he had nothing to worry about.
He took solace in the fact that he had been able to give off his best though he was not given any prior notification.
“The whole Ghana, everybody knows the way I worked but the President knows better,” he said.
That notwithstanding, Mr Apraku told DAILY GUIDE he had been inundated with calls since the news broke and that the people in the area were threatening not to vote for the NDC.
He however believed there was a mafia group in the NDC who were behind some of these decisions and stressed the need for them to stop undermining others for the betterment of the