Spontaneous shouts greet endorsement of MCE
The President's nominee for the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Assembly (TNMA) in the Western Region, Mr Gilbert Kennedy Asmah, 44, has been endorsed by the assembly.
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He received 87.5 per cent when the assembly members met last week Thursday. Thirty-five of the members out of the 40 present voted for Mr Asmah, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman for the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Constituency, who holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom (UK).
His endorsement was greeted with spontaneous shouts of "one touch, one touch," amid incessant clapping and singing of "abam awie."
Having successfully crossed the hurdle of acceptance from the assembly, the new MCE, who was among eight other contenders for the position, becomes the third MCE for the area, succeeding the immediate past MCE, Mrs Christina Cobbinah, for the predominantly mining enclave.
The Western Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr Stephen Opoku-Mensah, and his team conducted the elections, attended by some traditional authorities in the area, the NPP regional and constituency executives, representatives of other political parties, family members, friends and a host of party supporters.
Appeal
Before the ballot, the Regional Minister, Dr Kwaku Afriyie, appealed to the members, whom he described as kingmakers, not to let the President down but rather make a one-touch decision, saying the region was eager to confirm all other nominees.
He cautioned all would-be MDCEs in the region to be humble and not exhibit any arrogance, pride and bossy outlook, adding, "So far as I remain the regional minister, no one will be allowed to put out any showmanship."
The Presiding Member of the assembly, Mr Benjamin Kessie, who set the ball rolling, noted that the municipal assembly had kept a very clean sheet on all occasions of MCE confirmations and expressed optimism that that impeccable record would remain unbroken.
Acceptance speech
In his acceptance speech, Mr Asmah, who is also an entrepreneur and cocoa farmer, said, "I am looking forward to having incredible working relationship with you in the realisation of my vision towards making TNMA a first class municipality, where everyone will aspire to live and work in."
He expressed the hope that in unity they could change the current sanitation situation to a better one, design beautiful landscape and layout for the communities and construct a modern auditorium complex, with an entertainment park befitting Tarkwa.