A section of the MDCEs being sworn into office
TWENTY-FOUR out of 26 municipal and district chief executives (MDCEs) who were endorsed by the various assembly members in the Eastern Region have been sworn into office.
They took the oaths of office, secrecy and allegiance on May 19, 2017, and are officially to begin work today – Monday, May 22, 2017 – at their respective assemblies.
The ceremony, which took place at the Residency, was well attended by municipal and district coordinating directors, traditional rulers, executives of the New Patriotic Party, party faithful and ministers of state led by the Regional Minister, Eric Kwakye Dafour.
The new municipal and district chief executives are Emmanuel Atta Ofori Snr, Kwahu South; George Ofori, Kwahu Afram Plains South; Dennis Edward Aboagye, Akuapem North; Frank Aidoo, Akuapem South and Paul Asamoah, Akyemansa – Ofoase/Ayirebi.
Others are Margaret Darko, Suhum; Samuel Kwame Agyekum, Asuogyaman; Kwabena Panin Nkansah, Atiwa; Kwabena A. Bempong, Birim Central; Raymond Nana Dartey, Birim North and Richmond Amponsah, Birim South.
The rest are Isaac Agyapong, Kwahu East; Seth Birikorang Ofosu, Demkyembour – Akwatia; Owusu Twum Ampofo, East Akim; Charles Oware Tweneboah, Fanteakwa; Seth Antwi-Boasiako, Kade – Kwaebirim; Isaac Kwadwo Buabeng, Nsawam – Adogyiri; Simeon Kweku Tettey, Lower Manya-Krobo; Felix Nartey Odjao, Upper Manya-Krobo; Eugene Sackey, Upper West Akim and that of Kwahu Afram Plains North.
During the ceremony, Mr Eric Kwakye Daffour urged the newly sworn-in MMDCEs to serve with humility and also cautioned them to wisely utilize the assemblies’ resources to the benefit of the people they are going serve.
The minister charged them to demonstrate a high degree of tact and diplomacy in the discharge of their duties.
Mr Daffour said the MMDCEs are the representatives of the president and so their performances would determine whether the NPP government should be maintained in power; and entreated them to put in more efforts to win the hearts of the people.
“In the midst of the numerous challenges you may face, we are hopeful that you have the qualities to surmount whatever difficulty that may come your way,” he noted.
One District Assembly (Ayensuano) failed to endorse the president’s nominee – Comfort Governor – as she received 15 ‘YES’ votes,19 ‘NOs’ and 5 ballots were rejected, while the Yilo Krobo Municipal Assembly rejected Tetteh Kupualor during the second round of election. He polled 33 ‘YES’ votes and 27 ‘NOs.’
Comfort Governor is one of the three women who were nominated by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to serve as district chief executives in the Eastern Region.
Other women were – Comfort Asante, a 65-year-old University of Cape Coast lecturer, garnered 77 ‘YES’ votes, representing 98.71 per cent and 1 ‘NO’, representing 1.29 percent in the second round voting.
She failed to get the two-thirds majority on Monday, May 15, during the first round of voting. She had 62.8 per cent after polling 49 out of 78 votes.
The Eastern Regional Women Organizer of the NPP, Margaret Darko, who was nominated as the Suhum Municipal Chief Executive by President Akufo-Addo, was overwhelmingly confirmed. She scored 100% of the votes cast by the assembly members and the government appointees.
In a brief address, the Eastern Regional Chairman of the NPP, Kisi, advised the newly sworn-in MMDCEs   to work hand-in-hand with their various Members of Parliament (MPs).
FROM Daniel Bampoe, Koforidua