LadMA Assembly Members reject MCE nominee, call for Akrong
There was drama at the La Dade Kotopon Municipal Assembly (Ladma) in Accra last Tuesday following the rejection of the President's nominee for Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Alfredos Nii Anyetei, amid general sentiments among assembly members that long-serving party stalwart and current Chief Whip of the assembly, Aaron Akrong, should be the right man for the top role.
The assembly refused to give Mr Anyetei the endorsement he required because he failed to garner the needed 2/3 majority of votes to be confirmed as MCE, as nine of the 14 assembly members of Ladma who voted for his confirmation voted against and only five voted "Yes."
The MP for the area, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, who also doubles as the Deputy Minister of Local Government, and the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Ocloo, who were both in support of the nominee and were present at the event, expressed surprise at the turn of events.
Following President John Dramani Mahama's nomination of persons for approval to head the 29 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the Greater Accra Region last month, Mr Anyetei took his turn for his assembly members to confirm him, but they failed to give him the nod.
The failure to garner even the 50 per cent needed for a mandatory re-vote means the President cannot re-nominate him for consideration and has to nominate another person.
Rejection, preference
The announcement of the results of the voting by the designated Electoral Commissioner was met with cheers as party faithful and community members chanted revolutionary songs in support of the verdict.
Events at the scene indicated that both the crowd of NDC sympathisers and assembly members were in unison that the job of MCE for La Dade Kotopon should be given to Aaron Akrong, who they affectionately call Ice Tee.
They said he had served the assembly for nearly two decades and was instrumental in ensuring victory for the party in the last general election.
“Aaron has been an assembly member for over 15 years, has been the chief whip for the assembly for over 12 years and knows all the dynamics of the assembly.
He is very experienced and well placed to take the mantle, apart from being our own," one of the NDC protesters told the Daily Graphic.
"This is the gentleman who worked tirelessly to bring the party to power, aside from all these credentials.
Why do we have to treat him like that? He has dedicated his whole life to the party and constituency; he deserves to be rewarded," another said.
Regional minister
Meanwhile, the Greater Accra Regional Minister expressed disappointment in the assembly members for not approving the nominee, saying it's a big rejection of President Mahama, who now faces a huge dilemma to nominate a new person as MCE for La Dade Kotopon.
