The confirmation of the President’s nominees for the 18 Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAs) in the Volta region ended with some drama that saw the revocation of appointments of some government officials.
The mass revocation of the appointments which occurred in about seven assemblies affected some notable members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) including the Volta Regional Chairman, Makafui Woanyah who is an officer of the Keta Assembly.
The Ketu South Constituency Chairman, Samuel Haligah popularly known as Petit who was a presiding member of the Ketu South Assembly was also affected.
In all of the instances, the government officials revoked their appointments minutes to the voting process to affirm or reject the nominees for the various MDAs. The seven MDAs involved are the Akatsi North, Central Tongu, Ketu South and North, Anloga, Keta and Kpando.
It is not clear why the NPP regional chairman and constituency chairman for Ketu South were replaced, but some believe it may be a strategy to get them involved in other duties to focus on retaining power in the 2024 general elections. Others also believe they were removed because they might have been opposed to the nominees.
Most of the appointees thanked President Akufo-Addo for the opportunity and assured that they remain supportive of the government’s policies and programmes. They also said they were prepared to give their best to ensure the agenda to break the eight is achieved in 2024. Breaking the Eight is an agenda by the ruling NPP to break the cycle of change of political leadership after the mandatory two terms by the same candidate of the same party.
*Three Volta MDCE Nominees Likely To Be Replaced*
After two weeks of confirmation process to confirm the 18 MDCEs nominated by the President three of them failed to secure half (50%) of the votes let alone two thirds majority to be nominated as MDCE.
The three who have their fate hanging in the balance are Phanuel Kadey Donkor, re-nominated Adaklu District Chief Executive (DCE), re-nominated Ketu North Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Anthony Avorgbedor and Prosper Kofi Patu, newly nominated Akatsi North DCE.
Out of 19 ballots cast by the Assembly members of Adaklu, Mr. Donkor managed to secure only nine “Yes” votes representing 44.36 percent. He had nine “No” votes and one rejected ballot.
In the case of Mr, Patu, eleven out of 18 assembly members voted against him. Only seven voted in his favour, thus 39 percent.
Mr Avorgbedor who was tipped to be retained surprisingly managed 25 out of 55 votes, thus 46 percent of the total votes cast.
It is not clear what their fate will be, but in situations like this, it is either the President re-nominates them for another confirmation opportunity or their nomination will be withdrawn and hence replaced by new nominees.
*Two MDC Nominees with a Second Chance*
Another two of the 18 MDCE nominees in the Volta region could not also reach the two-third limit to be confirmed for their positions. Fortunately for them, they managed to get more than half (50 percent) of the total votes cast.
Unlike their other colleagues who are yet to know their fate these two have another chance to solicit enough votes to be confirmed.
They are Madam Emelia Amefa Adziamah, the only female nominee and a new entrant for the Agotime Ziope District and re-nominated DCE for Anloga, Seth Kwashie Yormewu.
Madam Adzimah secured 12 “Yes” votes out of 22 votes, representing 54.5 percent while Mr. Yormewu polled 21 “Yes” votes out of 41 votes, representing 51.2 percent.
13 Confirmed MDCEs out of 18
In all, 13 out of 18 nominated MDCEs managed to secure their positions after the first voting round. Four out of the 13 secured 100 percent votes to get confirmed. They are re-nominated Ho West DCE, Ernest Victor Appau, Geoffrey Kodzo Badasu of Kpando, Divine Osborn Fenu Kwadzo of North Tongu and Godwin Dzadzawa Kwame of South Dayi.
The other confirmed MDCEs who exceed the two-third threshold but not 100 percent include the Dean of the MDCEs in Volta, Edmund Atta Kudjoh of North Dayi. He polled 32 “YES” votes representing 95.1 percent. Re-nominated DCE for Afadzato South, James Etornam Flolu had 25 “Yes” votes out of 30 votes, representing 83.3 percent.
Central Tongu’s Thomas Moore Zonyrah polled 39 votes, representing 97.5 percent while Mr. Martin Kofitsey Nyahe of Akatsi South who had seven votes against him, secured 32 “Yes” votes representing 80 percent.
At the Ho Central Municipal Assembly, Divine Richard Komla Bosson garnered 36 “Yes” votes and six “No” votes representing 85.7 to secure his nomination.
Nobel Daniel Yao Awumey, nominee for Hohoe polled 17 “Yes” votes out of 24 votes representing 70.8 percent to secure his position.
At Keta Municipal Assembly, Emmanuel Gemegah polled 23 votes in his favour, thus representing 71.8 percent while Maxwell Koffie Lugudor of Ketu South polled 86 percent votes with 49 “Yes” votes out of 57 votes cast. Finally, Seth Kwasi Agbi of South Tongu secured 50 out of 57 votes, representing 87.7% to ensure his confirmation.
From Fred Duodu, Ho (k.duodu@yahoo.com