The constituency Executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at Akyem Swedru and Akyem Akyease constituencies of the Eastern region are calling on President John Dramani Mahama to as a matter of urgency sack all government appointees at the Birim South District for sabotaging District Chief Executive (DCE) nominees of the president.
Birim South district has failed to elect a DCE after six elections held.
The executives led by the Akyem Swedru constituency youth organizer, Oscar Nyarko admitted to the DAILY HERITAGE at Akyem Swedru that the 12 government appointees have consistently rebelled against the DCE’s nominated by the president by voting against him.
The executives issued a tape alleged to be a conversation between the appointees who had vowed to vote against any nominee of the president until their preferred “man” is nominated to buttress their call for the dismissal of the appointees.
They contended that appointees must serve the interest of the president, hence, their entrenched position of voting against the president’s nominee in the district equals to rebellion against the president.
The NDC executives said despite several talks by some big wings of the NDC, the appointees still maintained their position and voted against the president’s nominee last Friday, hence fear that if the appointees are not replaced before Monday when another election would be held, similar result would be recorded against the nominee.
In a telephone interview, Yaa Saah, a government appointee at the district who is alleged to be the mastermind behind the entrenched position of the appointees told the reporter that “it is a payback time to Emmanuel Kwakye because he sabotaged the former DCE and succeeded in making sure he is not confirmed,” ,a claim Emmanuel Kwakye has debunked.
The Birim South District assembly has failed to confirm two nominees appointed by the President having voted five times.
President John Mahama re-nominated Nana Mensah-Takyi as the DCE last year, however, the assembly members failed to confirm his appointment on four occasions.
The president just this year has nominated Emmanuel Kwakye, current chairman of Akyem Swedru constituency of the NDC to replace Nana Baffuor Takyi as DCE for the area, but once again the assembly failed to confirm the president’s nominee during an election held on Friday.
Out of the 38 votes cast, 20 voted in favour while 18 voted against representing 52.6% and 47.4% respectively.
The DCE nominee Emmanuel Kwakye has been a major financier and chairman of the NDC in the constituency since 2001 till date. He suffered political witch-hunting which led to the collapse of his businesses during the era of the New Patriotic Party.
The Omanhene of Akyem Bosome, Okotwasuo Kantamanto Oworae Agyekum III is worried about the situation.
According to the chief, the situation is negatively affecting the development of the newly created district, adding that development in the district is being retarded since it has no chief executive to steer the affairs of the district.
Okotwasuo Kantamanto Oworae Agyekum III entreated the assembly members to consider the interest of the district at large instead of their parochial and selfish interest.
When the story was being filed, the Party Executives, government appointees, and other stakeholders were holding a marathon meeting with the Minister of Local Government and Rural development, Julius Debrah at the Eastern regional coordinating council.