Ishmael Ashitey
NINE GOVERNMENT appointees in the Ada East District Assembly of the Greater Accra Region have been sacked after the failure to endorse President Akufo-Addo’s nominee for the position of district chief executive (DCE).
The Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council issued the revocation letter signed by the Regional Minister, Ishmael Ashitey, late Monday afternoon – a few hours after the 23 assembly members voted against the nominee.
The letter dated May 15, 2017 and copied to the Ada East District Assembly, indicated that approval had been given by the president to revoke the appointment of the nine members who were among the 36 government appointees to the assembly.
“H.E. the President, acting under Section (9) sub-section (6a) of the Local Government Act 2016 (Act 936) has revoked your appointment as a Government Appointee with the Ada East District Assembly with immediate effect.
“You therefore cease to be a member of the Ada East District Assembly accordingly. Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted,” one of the dismissed letters states.
Information was that the dismissal letters were handed to the appointed assembly members, and have them replaced because the district chief executive nominee missed the required two-third mark during the confirmation exercise.
Sarah Dugbakie Pobee, the nominee, secured 13 votes against 23.
The nominee needed 24 votes to secure her position as the DCE for the Ada East District.
Notwithstanding the outcome of the polls, she thanked the president for having faith in her and also thanked the assembly members for their support, but urged them to soften their stance so as to catapult development of Ada East
The members of the community also expressed worry and urged the president to retain the nominee and not to think of changing her.
One of the appointees told DAILY GUIDE that the news came as a shock to those affected because that was only a few minutes after the assembly’s elections during which Sarah Dugbakie Pobee’s nomination was disapproved.
Some affected members who claimed they did not receive copies of the letter expressed regret about the way their appointments had been revoked.
“We have worked and toiled for the party here so it is unfair if we are treated this way,” one of them bemoaned.
From Vincent Kubi, Ada-East