The District Chief Executive for the Ahanta West District in the Western Region, Joseph Dofoyena, has been been confirmed by Assembly members after he was renominated by the President, following his removal from office in February this year [2015].
He polled 34 out of 51 last Friday’ when assembly members voted to endorse his nomination.
After the news of his sacking, several petitions were sent to the presidency and the local government ministry for him to be reinstated.
“He is a true son of Ahantaland. He is respectful, hardworking, easily approachable and we have seen no wrongdoing on his part. We want the President to reconsider his decision,” Nana Etsin Kofi II, chief of Ahanta Aboadze told Citi News.
Background
Following his appointment in June 2013, the Member of Parliament for the Ahanta West Constituency George Kwame Aboagye accused him of sabotaging his work. It continued in 2014 when the two at some point were involved in accusations and counter accusations on radio.
The enmity is alleged to have stemmed out of the fact that Joseph Dofoyena supported George Kwame Aboagye’s contender Lawyer Sam Payin Yalley in the 2012 NDC parliamentary primaries. In early 2015, the MP, George Kwame Aboagye openly vowed on radio to get him out of office. He was thus blamed when the dismissal occurred.
Party
His exit, which had obviously surprised many party executives and sympathizers in the Ahanta West constituency led to the creation of factions within the umbrella fraternity. Many NDC foot soldiers who were not enthused by the turn of events in the constituency, vowed not to vote the MP George Kwame Aboagye into office come 2016.
“We will vote skirt and blouse next year. There are plans that others will transfer their votes to Tarkwa to support Kwame Dzokoto instead of voting in the Ahanta West,” Some angry youth told Citi News.
His re-nomination
The president after nine months re-nominated Joseph Dofoyena for the post of DCE for the district for the second time. In all these period, persons close to the DCE maintained that the reason for his removal was not disclosed to him. Persons who had worked to get him reinstated jubilated when the DCE’s name was mentioned among other MMDCEs for reinstatement.
MP vows to resign
After his re-nomination by the president, the Member of Parliament for the Ahanta West Constituency, George Kwame Aboagye who was criticized for being the brain behind his exit openly vowed on various radio stations to resign as MP if the president did not rescind his re-nomination.
Assembly Members confirm DCE
Out of the 51 assembly members who voted last Friday to confirm or deny Joseph Dofoyena as the DCE, 34 members voted “yes” whilst 17 voted “No.”
Regional Minister bars him from negative radio commentary
After his massive endorsement by the assembly, the western regional minister Paul Evans Aidoo cautioned the DCE not to speak about internal party matters on radio. Anytime that I hear Dofoyena speaking on radio about the problems in the party, I will petition the president to sack you from office. Speak about only the development of the Ahanta West District on radio and not anything else.”
NDC constituency executives demand MP’s resignation
Shortly after the DCE’s confirmation by the assembly, some executives of the NDC in the Ahanta West constituency led by Eric King Arthur, a former director of elections for the constituency, demanded the immediate resignation of the MP.
They argued that “he [MP] went on radio to tell the whole world that if the DCE is brought back to head the assembly he will resign from his post. We are calling on him to honour his words immediately because, assembly members have confirmed the DCE. If he does not resign, we will lead a campaign to vote against him in the 2016 general elections.”
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By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana