Five MCEs confirmed, two rejected in V/R

Five presidential appointees for district and municipal chief executive positions in the Volta Region have received the nod to serve in that capacity, while two others have been rejected.

The ongoing confirmation exercise of the MMDCEs has seen the massive endorsement of the Ho Municipal Chief Executive, Mr John Kwesi Nelson Akorli, Keta MCE, Seth Yormenu, Ketu South, Elliot Edem Agbewornu, North Dayi DCE, Edmund Kudjo Attah and Central Tongu, Thomas Moore Zonyarah.

The Ho MCE and the North Dayi DCE had an overwhelming endorsement, obtaining percentages of 97.7 and 100 respectively.

Mr Akorli, a native of Ho Bankoe and a retired principal of the Kpando Technical Institute, secured 42 votes from the 43-member assembly, comprising of 29 elected and 14 government appointees.

One touch endorsement

The Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Letsa, who supervised the proceedings before the election at the Ho Municipal Assembly hall, appealed to the voters to give the appointee a one touch endorsement to send a strong signal from the regional capital to the rest of the districts and the country that the people were solidly behind the choice of the President and ready to work with them for development.

Mr Akorli, in a speech, said the Ho Municipal Assembly had ‘mouth-watering’ opportunities but had not been harnessed, therefore, the people should expect ‘radical changes’ that would make Ho occupy an enviable position in the country.

Rejected Nominees

The Hohoe and Kpando MCE appointees,  Messrs Andrews Teddy Ofori and Elvis Kweku Djampoh, failed to secure the required two-thirds votes to be approved as the MCEs for the two assemblies.

Mr Djampoh pulled 15 votes out of 28, while Mr Teddy Ofori had 27 out of the 44 members, therefore failing to obtain the required 67 per cent vote cast to sail through.

Their rejections came as a shock to some party members who witnessed proceedings. In the case of the Hohoe Municipality, the rejection created a tense atmosphere as some supporters of the appointee accused one of the aspirants in the area of undermining Mr Ofori.

Following the failure to get the required votes, Messrs Ofori and Djampoh per the provisions of the Local Government Act would have a second chance in the next 10 days to get approval.