Opinions of Friday, 6 February 2009

Columnist: Rockson Adofo

Kumawuman in Search of a Dynamic DCE

-Alex Adomako-Mensah is the Man.

The time tested proverbial saying of, "there is always a light at the end of the tunnel", is about to dawn on Kumawuman in her untiring pursuit for absolute economic and social emancipation as both a historical and a districted area. From hindsight, Kumawuman in the midst of abundant fertile lands with the concomitant natural resources has for far too long been deprived of the basic essential developments let alone the creation of jobs for the inhabitants. It has been lingering in abject poverty, left at the mercy of the ravages of nature. What a sadistic situation the citizenry had to put up with for all these years, all because of the evilness of some parochially-minded, selfish, and voracious local and public administrators? Now, things are about to turn a new leaf. It is all a change for the better should we apply the needed prudence by getting the right people at the helm of the traditional and public administration of the area.

It is imperative that all stakeholders ensure that the beckoning opportunity offered the locality by the Atta Mills' government to select their own candidate for the office of the District Chief Executive (DCE) is treated with the requisite precaution and modality. The economic deterioration of the area emanating from the absence of infrastructural development; the non provision of the basic requirements of life, due to the insatiable egotism and callousness of those entrusted with power, must be crucial in the decision making of who should be the next DCE for the Kumawu Sekyere Afram Plains District.

It is although a political appointment, the need for a competent person with a managerial or administrative background should be an incumbent factor in short listing and appointing who finally becomes the DCE for the fleeced locality. It should not principally be how strongest one's NDC's political activism and ideological inclination are. The yardstick should measure how competent, honest and ready-to-deliver the person is. It is not the moment for a trial and error. It is the time to deliver the needed services to, and beyond, the expectation of the inhabitants of the district whose cries for a Saviour to redeem them from the shackles of internal slavery has reached the Merciful Ears of God.

Mr Alex Adomako-Mensah has been put through my seething furnace of honesty and has come out unscathed. He has also a deliverable vision to help put the district on economic projectile, making it a vibrant cynosure of all eyes. This is the type of person Kumawuman needs to sort out the mess irresponsibly left to accumulate over years of not only dormant but pilfering traditional administration. He is a dedicated citizen of Kumawuman and my in-depth probing into his character, his real intentions about the position if offered him, is one of optimism but not pessimism. He is the man with the technical know-how and the balls to resuscitate and then set the economic recovery of the Kumawu Sekyere Afram Plains district in upward motion. Do we as noble citizens of Kumawuman let slip through our fingers this unique opportunity to nominate or select our own competent DCE? Are we going to let political fanaticism cloud our thinking by going for the most NDC fanatic with less administrative clout? No way! Let us go for that NDC stalwart who has the brains and heart to perform as may be demanded of him not only by the party but also, by the inhabitants of the district.

Mr. Alex Adomako-Mensah is qualified academically to hold the position of the DCE. I would be least enticed by his chain of qualifications topped by his MBA degree as a persuasion to lend him my unflinching support if it was not for his envious honesty. I always lay greater emphasis on how honest and dedicated a person is for a job. Paper qualification alone is not sufficient. The person can hold a chain of degrees reaching up to the doorsteps of God Almighty in the higher firmaments but if the person is not honest, he or she will rather pillage the coffers empty to the bewilderment of all and sundry. Is an embezzler that the people of Kumawuman need? No! Is an incompetent person who will be daunted and lost in the demands of the duties of a DCE that we need? No! Then everyone is entreated to rally around Alex to help him win the slot for the office of the DCE. He is overflowing with ideas about how best to assist the district economically. He will be ready to work with like-minded honest people who do uphold the welfare of the district in high esteem. Surely, he will be allowed to feed from my fountain of never-drying but overflowing wisdom. Should the going ever get tough, the floodgate will be open to feed to him more viable ideas and directions until Kumawuman gets clothed in her best essential developmental apparel. With Alex as the DCE, the MP of the area will be jump-started somehow to face up to the duties of his office. And hopefully, with the trio of best or better Paramount chief, DCE and Member of Parliament, Kumawu Sekyere Afram Plains will be a magnetic pull; a centre of attraction for Ghana's economic recovery showcase. Alex is the man able to deliver. Alex is the man whose promise has always lived up to the "Yes we can" dictum and surely, it has always been.

Rockson Adofo, London