Regional News of Sunday, 26 April 2009

Source: GNA

Upper West makes headway in the endorsement of DCEs

Wa, UWR, April 26, GNA- The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Upper West Region is making headway in the endorsement of President John Atta Mills' nominees for the post of District and Municipal Chief Executives.

So far, six DCEs and one Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) had been approved in the region. They were Mr. Bernard Puozuing, DCE for Jirapa, Mr. Clement Benin, DCE for Lambussie/Karni, Mr. Seidu Tingbani, DCE for Wa West, Mr. Duogo Yakubu, Wa MCE, Madam Alijata Sulemana, DCE for Sissala East and Mr. Robert Wavei Baka, DCE for Sissala West.

Two districts, Wa East and Nadowli are waiting for their turn to complete the endorsement process to get onboard the government machinery in place to begin work at the grassroots level.

These approvals had been achieved with a lot of challenges from the various assembly members and some traditional rulers who attached conditions and some demands to the process.

While some of the assembly members demanded amounts of money and items to develop their electoral areas, some chiefs called for the upright rejections of some of the DCEs. The chiefs assigned reasons that some of the nominees had not met the general demands of their people and as such, could not work in their best interest of them.

However, it took personalities such as the Upper West Regional Minister, Mr. Mahmud Khalid, Naa Seidu Braimah, Council of State member, Alhaji Malik Issahaque, NDC Regional Chairman, Mr. Kale Caesar, Deputy Regional Minister and Mr. Mumuni A. Seidu, former member of parliament for Wa Central among others to bring their experience and expertise to bear on the assembly members to yield dividend.

In all the rounds, special meetings and consultations were held between the regional leaders of the NDC and assembly members where they were persuaded to approve the DCEs.