24DCEs Sacked, New Ones Appointed
…As Reports of Ministerial Reshuffle Rife
President Nana Akufo-Addo has revoked the appointment of some 24 Municipal, Metropolitan and District Chiefs Executives (MMDCEs)with immediate effect, barely 10 months to the December 7 crucial general election.
Though reasons for their dismissal were not stated, insiders disclosed the affected MMDCEs were part of elements who had worked against either the candidature of the incumbent Members of Parliament (MPs) or the newly-elected parliamentary candidates during the party’s primaries that witnessed several sitting MPs being ousted.
This, sources say, has led to a frosty relationship between some of the DCEs on one hand and the MPs or parliamentary candidates on another hand in certain constituencies.
The idea was that, keeping such a crop of DCEs at post could worsen the friction between the parliamentary candidates and the DCEs, which would put the party’s chances at risk going into the December election.
Others are also of the view that some of the MMDCEs have outlived their stay in office and have become too comfortable, having been at post for long. They were said to have also fallen out with the grassroots.
They include MCE for Weija-Gbawe, Patrick Kwesi BrakoKumor, Nsawam Adoagyir MCE, Isaac Kwadwo Buabeng, the Ga East MCE, Elizabeth Kaaki Mann, who is said to be a loyalist of Dome-Kwabenya MP, Sarah Adwoa Safo, and Dorcas Elizabeth Amoah of Nzema East Municipality.
The biggest casualties on the list which many did not anticipate are DCE for Pru East, Alhaji Abdulai Adams, New Juabeng North DCE, Comfort Asante, Asuogyaman DCE, Samuel Kwame Agyekum, and South Tongu DCE, Seth Kwasi Agbi, who became unpopular following his interview regarding the coordination of relief items for victims of the Akosombo dam spillage and flooding.
The news about the dismissals, which went viral over the weekend, was contained in a letter addressed to the Minister of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development, Dan Botwe.
The letter, dated Friday, February 2, and signed by President Akufo-Addo said the decision to revoke the appointments is in accordance with Article 243 (3) b of the Constitution and Section 20 (3) (b) of the Local Government Act, 2014, (Act 936).
It came as a surprise to many, given the limited number of months to the major election.
The development has sparked reports of possible ministerial reshuffle in the coming days to enable the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) position itself ahead of the December poll to break the 8-years cycle.
But hours later, the President announced the appointment of 26 new DCEs to replace those who had been sacked.
The appointment letter, signed on Saturday, February 3, said, the appointment is “pending their approval by their respective assemblies.”
They include Prince Dormaa Amoah of Ahafo Ano North, Samson Gbolu of Sene East, Felix Owusu Gyima of Nkwanta South and Jacob K Dumakawe.
Source:Anchorghana.com
