NDC activists jostle for favourites to be elected DCEs

With time closing in for the appointment of metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs), party activists of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Tema metropolis are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that their favourites were appointed.

Some have been cited for engaging in smear campaigns to render some applicants unpopular while others are allegedly paying monies for people to endorse their favourites and declare the sitting chief executive unpopular. 

However, an activist and executive member of the Tema East NDC, Mr Stephen Ashietey Adjei,  has appealed to the President to be focused  and appoint chief executives based on past records and hard work.

Mr Adjei, who was commenting on the ongoing vetting for the appointment of people to the metropolitan, municipal and district chief executive positions, encouraged the President to act according to his observations of what the applicants had done to help the government initiate its objectives as far as projects were concerned.

He noted that it had become a ritual for interested people to cash in when the term of office of chief executives come to an end  with propaganda  and smear campaign.

Mr Adjei said such people engineered resolutions, demonstrations  and “dirty politics to undermine and ensure the removal of  hard-working sitting chief executives” and called on the President, John Mahama to ignore such name callings and reappoint people who deserved to be  encouraged to continue with their hard work. 

He cited as an example, “the chief executives of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly, Mr Robert Kempes Ofosuware and the Ledzokuku Krowor municipal assemblies have changed the face of their areas.”

Mr Adjei explained that for the  first time in Tema, rains had not affected  the smooth operations of motorists  by flooding the roads nor had there been displacement of residents from their rooms .

He was of the view that it was an achievement through the hard work and effort of the Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Ofosuware,  who had been given the name, ‘Mr Asphalt’, because of the intensive road works he initiated in the metropolis. 

Mr Adjei also recognised the storm drains undertaken by the assembly through the initiative of the chief executive and urged the President to recognise only those who could work hard and not “political-thirsty politicians”.

He indicated the need for the President to avoid being distracted, asserting that, “reappoint MCEs who you deem fit to continue the better Ghana Agenda.” 

Sources close to the Daily Graphic have indicated that 12 persons vied for the positions and were vetted but the shortlisted number is now five who are yet to be vetted again.

Story: Rose Hayford Darko