Asikuma-Odoben- Brakwa Assembly confirms DCE
Assembly members in the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District have finally confirmed Mr Albert Kwesi Inkoom as the District Chief Executive (DCE) but not without a heavy security presence.
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He secured 31 votes, representing 70.5 per cent, while 13 assembly members voted against him in the election which was held for the second time. He was subsequently sworn in by the District Magistrate, His Worship Mr Clement Kwasi Asomah.
The election, which was held after the assembly members had failed to confirm the nominee about a week ago, was characterised by a huge presence of the police at vantage points led by the District Police Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mr David Ashong.
The decision was intended to foil any attacks by sympathisers and supporters, mostly the youth of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), on the assembly members if they did not endorse the DCE.
This time around, the election was held at the residence of the DCE instead of the assembly hall as was the case in the first election apparently to protect the assembly members from physical attacks as it occurred in the first election.
Every individual was given accreditation, including assembly members, the press and chiefs before one could gain access to the premises.
This prevented the youth who picketed some few metres away to wait for the outcome of the election, from gaining access to the venue.
The election was witnessed by the Central Regional Minister, Mr Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, and his deputy, Mrs Queenstar Maame Pokuah Sawyerr.
First election
Angry youth of the ruling NDC took hostage of the assembly members of the Asikuma Odoben Brakwa District Assembly when they failed to confirm Mr Inkoom as the DCE about a week ago.
The heavily built youth, who besieged the premises of the assembly threatened to beat up the assembly members who failed to endorse the President’s nominee after each was allegedly paid GH¢2,000.
The youth, who were mostly macho men, also demanded that if the assembly members had decided not to endorse the nominee, then they should refund the money paid to them which was intended to influence them to vote for him.
Not even the presence of the Central Regional Minister, Mr Hagan, Mr Samuel Oppong and Mr Moses Jehu-Appiah, the Agona West MCE and Gomoa East DCE respectively could deter the irate youth from carrying out their agenda.
The personnel of the Ghana Police Service deployed to the venue had a hectic task controlling the angry youth from physically attacking the assembly members.
Some of the youth told the Daily Graphic that they were reliably informed by the constituency executive that each assembly member received an amount of GH¢2,000 as an inducement to endorse the nominee.
According to them, they had high hopes that the nominee would be overwhelmingly confirmed by the 46-member assembly and that they were very surprised the newly appointed DCE could not get the two-thirds majority.
The drama started immediately the result of the election was declared by the District Electoral Officer, Mr Frederick Appiagyei.
Result
At the end of the voting, 25 assembly members voted in favour of the appointee while 21 voted against him.
