Regional News of Tuesday, 16 August 2005

Source: Chronicle

Churcher, Edumadze end ?row?

... As they dance together for Kufuor ONE MEMORABLE event that would forever remain in the minds of Cape Coasters and the inhabitants of the Central Region during President John Agyekum Kufuor?s inter-denominational church service held last Sunday to climax his five-day tour was how the occasion reconciled two top government officials.

It was a surprise to the people who were mostly New Patriotic Party (NPP) sympathizers when Mr Isaac Edumadze, the Central Regional Minister and Ms Christine Churcher Member of Parliament (MP) of Cape Coast danced to together to a gospel tune with Mr Edumadze?s hand firmly placed on the shoulders of the lady, while the President looked on with admiration and contentment.

The relationship between Ms Churcher and Mr. Edumadze had been sour for some time now because the latter had allegedly refused to give GETFUND award to cronies of the former.

His refusal embittered the Ms. Churcher, who for the past years had been at loggerheads with the regional minister.

Political analysts in the Cape Coast municipality saw wrangling between the two as bane to the development of the area because the two were supposed to work together for the benefit of the people.

Moreso, the church service which was meant to thank the region for their massive support in the last elections in re-electing Mr. Kufuor for the second time also brought the three personalities, Mr. Edumadze, Ms. Churcher and Mr. Muniru Arafat Nuhu, Municipal Chief Executive of Cape Coast, who never saw eye to eye to each other together, as they stood beside the President when he addressed the gathering.

The relationship between Mr. Edumadze and Mr. Arafat was strained, following he (MCE) and Kofi Wilson, the sacked DCE of Mfantsiman?s, agitation that they were not under the supervision of the regional Minister. Rather they were accountable to the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development.

This infuriated the regional minister, who had since not been on good terms with Mr. Arafat.

Like a triangular movement, Ms. Churcher was also at loggerheads with Mr. Arafat for allegedly commissioning projects without her consent, exposing the MP to public ridicules that she had done nothing.

Meanwhile Victoria Park, the avenue where they chose to reconcile, was not by providence but by act of God.

The region and the Cape Coasters in particular hope to see massive development, following this divine intervention.