Regional News of Tuesday, 19 January 2021

Source: Michael Oberteye, Contributor

Chief of Adeiso Chief calls on Akufo-Addo not to re-appoint DCE

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana

The woes of the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Upper West Akim District in the Eastern Region, Mr Eugene Sackey has been compounded as the Chief of Adeiso, Osabarima Asare Oduro II is calling for his removal from office for non-performance and poor working relationship with the chiefs.

The visibly upset chief is requesting the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo not to renew the mandate of the DCE if the President wants to expedite development in the community.

Osabarima Asare Oduro II who made the demand on Friday, January 15, 2021, at his Adeiso Palace in an interview said the DCE has failed to perform to the expectation of the people he claims to be serving.

The chief accused the Assembly Chief of championing divisions and sidelining some chiefs including market folks and opinion leaders in the decision-making process.

He alleged that the DCE, since assuming office, has displayed a very poor working relationship with the chiefs as well as the traditional authorities, adding that his hostile attitude has stifled development in the district.

To avoid similar differences with future DCEs, Osabarima Asare Oduro II wants the President to mandate the appointing committee to confer with the chiefs, youth groups, opinion leaders, traditional officeholders and elders and the constituency executives on the appropriate nominee for the position.

He noted that investigations conducted by the chiefs have established that the failure to involve key stakeholders including chiefs during appointments of past DCEs in the area resulted in the failure to appoint the “right” persons for the position.

He accused the current DCE of doing very little for the community but championing the parliamentary ambitions of his brother-in-law who contested the Parliamentary seat on the ticket of the NDC, Issifu Ohene Bekoe, by commissioning KVIPs the latter constructed during his tenure as DCE under the Mahama administration, to aid his bid.

“The DCE never commissioned any of his projects for the entire four years of in the office,” the chief said. “As l speak, the Adeiso community does not have a post office because the office was part of the stores the previous DCE under the NDC built at the market which was awaiting to be shared among the market folks by the current DCE. So we are saying the current DCE lacks competence and we don't want him nominated again as DCE."

"Your Excellency, we are therefore appealing to you to remove Mr Eugene from office to enhance peace and development in the District."

He further accused the DCE of failure to listen to the wise counsel of the chiefs and opinion leaders, saying that the DCE took decisions unilaterally which was not in the interest of the people in the area.