Saltpond (C/R), May 18, GNA - The Chief of Woraba near Cape Coast, Nana Ataapim Kwenu VIII has called for an interpretation of the position of District Chief Executives (DCEs) who did not complete their four-year term of office before the last general elections.

District Chief Executives who had not completed their four-year term of office before the beginning of the fourth Parliament of the Fourth Republic should continue their work without seeking approval of their various assemblies, he said.

Nana Kwenu recalled that the President nominated one Metropolitan and seven District Chief Executives in September 2003 to fill vacancies. He noted that those Chief Executives served only one year and three months before the general elections and stated that if they were re-nominated they should be allowed to continue without seeking approval of their assemblies.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency at Saltpond on Monday, Nana Kwenu mentioned Mr Stanley Nii Adjiri Blankson, Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Mr Robert Quainoo-Arthur, Mfantseman District and Ms Kate Aku Aglah, South Tongu as some of the Chief Executives who did not serve their full term.

The chief quoted clause five of section 20 of the Local Government Act 462 of 1993, which states that "the term of office of a DCE shall be four years" and clauses four and five of Part four of the Model Standing Orders of the District Assemblies, which reads "where a vacancy occurs as a result of vote of no confidence passed against DCE, his removal or resignation or his death, the person appointed to fill the vacancy may hold office for a full four year term and shall be eligible for appointment for another consecutive period of four years only". Nana Kwenu therefore said DCEs who did not complete their four-year term should not seek approval from the assemblies, saying, "Since the President has recognised their work and has re-nominated them they should be allowed to continue their work". 18 May 05