Ada East Assembly fails to confirm President’s DCE nominee

The Ada East Municipal Assembly in the Greater Accra Region on Thursday, May 8, 2025, failed to confirm Kenneth Kabu Kanor, the President’s nominee for the position of District Chief Executive (DCE).

Mr Kanor polled 24 votes out of 38 valid votes cast, representing 63.2 per cent, in a process that extended into the night.

One vote was rejected, while 13 members voted against him. The nominee required 26 votes to meet the two-thirds threshold necessary for confirmation.

By law, the assembly members are expected to reconvene within ten days for a second round of voting to either confirm or reject the nominee.

Delayed opportunities

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Akweley Ocloo, who expressed concern over the outcome, cautioned that Municipal and District Assemblies in the region risk losing out on development opportunities if they fail to confirm the President's nominee.

She noted that MMDCEs play a vital leadership role at the local level and that confirmation is crucial to fast-tracking effective governance and implementing development plans.

“If you delay the confirmation, you delay development and progress. Government has started a lot of recruitment, and so when you delay confirmation, perhaps if the DCE is at post, he or she can lobby for some of the assembly members and community members to be employed. But if the DCE is not at post, they will pass it through either the Coordinating Directors or wherever it passes,” she added.

Engagement

Mrs Ocloo therefore appealed to the assembly members of Ada East to resolve their differences and confirm the President's nominee when they reconvene in ten days' time.

“If someone has offended you, find a way. And I said it earlier, and I'm going to repeat, that if you think, because you are part of the shortlisted and so you are working against the nominee so that you can be appointed, we’ll be looking outside the box,” she warned.

She also urged the nominee, whose confirmation has so far failed, to deepen his engagement and consultation with stakeholders to ensure a smoother process ahead.

Tema West

Meanwhile, at the Tema West Municipal Assembly, the President’s nominee, Ludwig Teye Totimeh, was decisively confirmed, securing 100 per cent of the 16 votes cast.

He was immediately sworn in by Ms Linda Ocloo.