Regional News of Thursday, 21 October 2004

Source: GNA

Mr Ahiabor nominated as new DCE for Keta

Accra, Oct. 21, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor has nominated Mr Edward Kofi Ahiabor, an Agricultural Engineer, for appointment as the Keta District Chief Executive.

This was announced in a statement issued in Accra on Thursday and signed by Mr Kwadwo Okyere Mpiani, Chief of Staff.

Mr Mpiani in a similar statement issued on August 23, this year announced the acceptance by President Kufuor of the resignation of Mr Emmanuel K. Vorkeh as the District Chief Executive of Keta. It said in his place, President Kufuor nominated Ms Gifty Amah Ayeh for appointment as the new District Chief Executive.

However, the District Assembly at a meeting held on Thursday September 30, this year, rejected Miss Ayeh's nomination as the District Chief Executive for Keta.

The Assembly did not give her the two-third majority votes required for her confirmation at its second extra-ordinary meeting held at Keta. She obtained 26 votes in favour and 36 against in the ballot cast by 63 of the 69-member Assembly with one invalid vote. She needed 43 votes to secure the two-thirds majority.

In the first voting 10 days earlier, the nominee had 40 votes in favour and 23 against, losing the job by a single vote.

Thus, Miss Ayeh lost the chance of becoming the DCE for the area, and the President was required by the dictates of the Local Government Law to nominate a new candidate for the position.

Miss Ayeh, a teacher, is a government representative on the National Media Commission (NMC). She is the National Secretary of the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG). Mr Ahiabor was the District's Best Farmer for two consecutive times.

He graduated with a Masters Degree in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Ghana, Legon. 21 Oct. 04