... Accuse DCE of sitting on ?150m

Youth of the Kwaebibirim district have wondered why President John Agyekum has virtually forgotten them soon after they had given him their massive votes, which obviously saw him and his NPP government to its second term of office.

According to them, they had at least expected the president to be considerate with his ministerial appointments and his choice of people for his much touted second term dubbed ?positive change chapter two?.

This, they said, is quite disturbing and disappointing because the president has since virtually abandoned the people of the district in ministerial and other political appointments.

The ceremony was a press conference organized by the youth to formally register their protest and displeasure to the president.

According to King Sam, spokesman for the youth who was flanked by his executives and members, though the people of Kwaebibirem belong to the Danquah-Busia tradition of which President Kufuor is a destined son, their loyalty has never been recognized, let alone rewarded.

He noted that in 1992, when the NPP, then in opposition boycotted the general elections, Kade constituency won the presidential polls.

Further, he noted that in the 1996 general elections, it was only the Kade constituency that won a seat for the NPP from Ga North, Nsawam, Adeiso, Asamankese, Akwatia, Kade, and New Abirim to Nkawkaw.

He continued that though the difference between the NPP candidate and the NDC was little above two thousand, they were able to improve the difference to twelve thousand in the 2000 general elections when Hon.Ofosu-Asamoah was the NPP candidate.

He stressed that when in 2001, the NPP formed the government, Kwaebibirem was not considered for any appointment.

?We as a people in the district were not disturbed because we thought it was just the beginning,? the spokesman said.

He stated also that in 2004, because they wanted stability and recognition, they moved heaven and earth to retain the two members of parliament, being Kinston Akomeng Kissi and Ofosu-Asamoah, stating that Baba Jamal the NDC candidate would have easily won the seat of Akwatia if Okomeng Kissi were not the NPP candidate in both the 2000 and 2004 general elections.

King Sam, obviously peeved by the development, said despite the fact that neither the president nor his vice visited Kade during the electioneering campaign in the 2004 elections, they managed to pull 28,000 valid votes for the NPP.

He further alleged that throughout President Kufuor?s first tenure of office, he never set foot in the Kade constituency.

As if this was not enough, he noted that the president has still not recognized them in anyway. This, he said, is so surprising that from Asamankese through Akwatia, Kade, New Abirim, Ofoase Ayiribi to Nkawkaw, nobody was considered for political or ministerial appointment, hence asking rhetorically ?why??

He said they could not keep absorbing this, saying, ?It is time we made our voices heard.?

?Please, Mr. President, Kwaebibirem district for that matter, Kade constituency has remained loyal to the Danquah-Busia tradition and as such our loyalty must be rewarded, we have men who have distinguished themselves both in academia and politics who can equally deliver like others, if not better,? he appealed.

He debunked also a media report, which sought to suggest that the chiefs and people of the Kwaebibirem district were behind the DCE, Yaw Yiadom Boakye for his re-nomination.

He accused the DCE of having very poor human relations, which he said does not augur well for a healthy human and political development.

According to him, apart from the constituency chairman of the NPP whom he shares a common cake with; the DCE is cold towards other executives and even the MPs.

He accused as well the DCE of sitting on ?150 million that was transferred from the women?s ministry for disbursement to women in the district, which he said had been stuck in the HIPC accounts for the past two years.