Tema Rejects MCE Imposition

Nene Ofoe Teye II addressing journalists, flanked by some executives of the party

SOME EXECUTIVES of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Tema East Constituency of the Greater Accra Region have alleged that the regional chairman of the party is making efforts to impose on the people his favourite man to be appointed by President Akufo-Addo as the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE).

They have therefore, called on the hierarchy of the party to immediately call to order the Greater Accra Regional Minister-designate, Ishmael Ashietey – who doubles as the Regional Chairman – before he incurs their wrath.

Nene Ofoe Teye II, the Tema East Constituency Chairman of the NPP, addressing a news conference yesterday, pointed out, “Should our leaders betray us (the majority of the people), we won’t hesitate to roll out our plans and series of aggressive (but lawful) activities to protest any wrong choice that is not in the larger interest of the party and the wellbeing of the people we have committed to serve.”

According to him, the leadership of the party in the Tema metropolis had noticed the illegal moves of the Regional Chairman and they would not countenance the act of imposition in the appointment of MCE for Tema.

“Our action as a party and government must be in line with the wishes, interest and aspirations of the very people whose mandate we overwhelmingly had in the last elections and that is why we must begin to question any act that runs contrary, like the ongoing effort by our regional chairman who doubles as the Greater Accra Regional Minister-nominee, Ishmael Ashietey, to impose his personal choice of candidate for the position of Chief Executive on the people,” he stated.

The Tema East Chairman further noted, “Mr. Ashietey has managed to stampede the selection process and has totally disregarded the voice of the masses which will be recipe for political instability in the Tema metropolis. We shall fiercely resist Mr. Ashietey, same way he is being resisted in the Ashaiman Constituency and other places in the region.”

They accused the regional chairman of drafting a fictitious letter to the presidency and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, purported to have originated from the Tema Traditional Council in support of his candidate.

“Let it be on record without any fear of contradiction that the leader of the Tema Traditional Council, Nii Adjei Kraku II; the Mankralo, who is the second in-command and the spiritual leader of Tema (Nii Sakumo Wulomo), have all denied knowledge of the said letter,” according to Nene Ofoe Teye II.

The regional chairman is said to be supporting a certain Benjamin Ashitey Armah for the Tema MCE position.

Candidates in contention are Kofi Appoe, Yohanne Armah, Nii Noi Annang and Rev. Peter Turkson, among others.

Nne Teye II said that prior to the last general  election, Mr. Ashitey ruled out Tema East from the constituencies that would retain their Members of Parliament for the NPP in the Greater Accra Region, hence his failure to support the campaign.

The traditional ruler therefore called for a free, fair and transparent process in the selection of the Metropolitan Chief Executive for Tema.

When contacted by DAILY GUIDE on the accusations, Mr. Ashietey denied imposing a candidate on any of the assemblies. He said, “I am not the appointing authority because the person who has the power to appoint chief executive is President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.”

On the issue of the letter, he claimed that he had not seen any letter from the Traditional Council.

From Vincent Kubi, Tema