Nine DCEs in ER sworn into office

Nine municipal and district chief executives (MDCEs) in the Eastern Region, who were nominated by the President and confirmed by their respective assemblies have been sworn into office.

Eight of them, namely, Messrs Alex Obeng, Kwahu West; Simon Peter Asirifi, East Akyem; Samuel Fleicher-Kwabi, Suhum; Joseph Tetteh Angmor, Upper Manya Krobo; Ibrahim Issaka, Afram Plains South; Andrews Soda, Yilo Krobo; Tom Budu, Akyemansa, and Emmanuel Atta Twum, Atiwa, have already served four years.

The only new face is Mr Paul Dadzie Aboagye, Birim South, who took over from Ms Mavis Ama Frempong, who has been made Deputy Eastern Regional Minister.

This year’s confirmation process at the assemblies has been a herculean task for the nominees, some of whom had to face the ballot box twice before they secured the two-thirds votes needed to carry the day.

The major casualty was Mr Samuel Asamoa, the DCE for Kwahu East, who unsuccessfully went through the process three times.

One of the municipalities, Lower Manya Krobo, however, has no assembly members due to a dispute over some electoral areas at Akuse between that municipality and its neighbour, Dangme West in the Greater Accra Region, and it is not yet known how to confirm a political head for the area.

Taking the MDCEs through the official, allegiance and secrecy oaths, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mrs Hellen Adjoa Ntoso, reminded them of the difficulties they went through during their confirmation and advised them that as representatives of the President, they should live up to expectation in order not to cast a slur on themselves, the state and the President.

She said it was not automatic that after serving for four years they would be made to continue and that their confirmation was based on what they did during their four years in office and advised them to live up to expectation.

“Do as expected of you as the President’s representatives by working with the assembly members and serving the people,” Mrs Ntoso stated.

With regard to the upcoming Supreme Court verdict, she wondered why fear and panic should grip the country, saying she was hopeful that Ghana would continue to enjoy its prevailing peace after the verdict.

Mr Simon Peter Asirifi, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, gave an assurance that they would not let the President and the nation down.

Present at the ceremony were heads of departments and the security agencies in the region who took turns to advise the MDCEs on how best they could operate with respect of their outfits.

By A. Kofoya-Tetteh/Daily Graphic/Ghana