Confirmation of President’s nominee ends in confusion

A special meeting called by the Ejisu-Juaben Municipal Assembly to confirm the President’s nominee for the position of Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) ended in confusion.

Government’s appointees of the assembly were forcibly prevented from entering the hall, where the ballot to determine the fate of Mr. Kwaku Afrifa Yamoah Ponko, re-nominated after serving out his four-year term, was to be held.

The police insisted that the appointment of 12 of them had been withdrawn by the appointing authority and could therefore not take part in the voting.

The situation generated so much heat that the Presiding Member, Mr. Ansah Sasraku, was forced to adjourn the meeting.

Announcing the decision to suspend the election, he said he was unaware of the replacement of the appointee members.

Again, the new appointees would have to be sworn in before they could become members of the assembly.

Mr. John Alexander Ackon, the Ashanti Regional Minister, who witnessed the drama, assured the assembly that things were done properly.

The election has now been fixed for Tuesday, April 12.

Source: GNA