General News of Tuesday, 28 April 2009

Source: GNA

Gomoa East Assembly fails to approve President nominee

Gomoa Afranse (C/R), April 28, GNA - The Gomoa East district Assembly on Tuesday failed to confirm Mr Theophanous Ampah, President John Atta Mills' nominee, as District Chief Executive. Mr Ampah polled only 9 out of the 30 votes cast, representing only 30 percent, in an election conducted by officials of the Central Region electoral Commission led by the Deputy Electoral Officer, Mr Seribou Quaicoe.

Twenty-one members, therefore, voted against the nominee. Announcing the result, Mr Quaicoe said since Mr Ampah did not get more than half of the votes as required by the constitution, he had been "knocked out".

He said the president would be informed about the result for a new nomination to be made for approval by the assembly. Mr Quaicoe explained that the nominee needed to obtain two-thirds of the assembly members present for his approval as DCE and more than half of the votes to qualify him for a second round of voting. The Central Regional Minister, Madam Ama Benyiwa-Doe and some officials from the Central Regional Coordinating Council witnessed the voting.