Minister refuses to swear in DCEs for lateness
The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Julius Debrah, demonstrated commitment to time and discipline when he refused to swear in newly confirmed district chief executives (DCEs) for Lower Manya Krobo and Kwahu East for coming to the ceremony late.
It took the intervention of a delegation from the Manya Krobo Traditional Council, led by a representative of the Konor, Nene Sackite III, who accompanied the newly confirmed DCE, Mr Jacob Acolatse, for the minister to rescind his earlier decision to not administer the oath of office to Mr Jacob Acolatse, DCE for Manya Krobo to serve as a lesson.
In what looked like a drama, the large retinue of chiefs and people from the Lower Manya Krobo area entered the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) Conference Hall when the closing prayer was being said, after Mr Emmanuel Kwakye, the only nominee present, had been taken through the oaths of office, secrecy and allegiance.
As of the climaxing of the entire programme at 9.45 a.m., the nominee for Kwahu East was still not present, and, therefore, his swearing-in was rescheduled by the minister, who is also acting as the regional minister.
Originally, the swearing-in of the three DCEs for the Birim South, Kwahu East and Lower Manya Krobo was slated for 8.30 a.m. but as of 9:00 a.m. when the minister walked into the hall and waited for 30 minutes, only the nominee for Birim South was present.
Mr Julius Debrah, who is the immediate past Eastern Regional Minister, registered his disappointment at the gross indiscipline showed by the newly nominated DCEs, adding that it was a bad sign as it was their first day of office.
He, therefore, charged them to respect time and the people they were going to serve.
The minister, who did not take kindly to the conduct of the DCEs, said time consciousness was key to every endeavour, and advised the DCEs to not repeat that conduct.
He charged them to be innovative in revenue generation, without relying on the Common Fund, to provide the necessary needs of the people, since the government’s purse was hard-pressed.