By Ewoenam Kpodo
Tokor (VR), April 11, GNA – The exercise to confirm the President’s Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) nominee for Ketu South, Mr Nicholas Kwabla Worclachie turned dramatic Friday, April 11, delaying the process for hours.
The event, scheduled to begin at 1000hours was undecided even after midday due to a misunderstanding that led to a walk-out of some Assembly members.
This was occasioned by first, the absence of a Presiding Member (PM) of the Assembly due to the revocation of all former government appointees of the Assembly, which affected Mr Richmond Koffie Hato, who was also the PM, necessitating the election of a new PM to oversee the MCE confirmation.
Some sources told Ghana News Agency that the election of the PM was supposed to have been held on Monday, April 07 but a decision was made to hold it together with the MCE confirmation event.
While the Municipal Electoral Commission (EC) officials were set for the conduct of the election of the PM, to set the stage for the main event, the MCE confirmation, some Assembly members had an issue with where the ballot screen was placed and requested for it to be changed.
This, Mr Kofi Sakyi Boampong, Municipal Electoral Officer disagreed with saying, placement of the ballot screen was the preserve of the EC officials and not subject to the dictate of the Assembly members.
The Assembly members, unhappy with the stance of Mr Boampong, demanded that he should retract that statement and cooperate with them for a smooth process.
Even though the location of the ballot screen was later changed to suit the members, some of them still staged a walk-out because their second demand of retraction of the statement was not meant.
Following consultations, the Assembly members returned to the hall and the Municipal Electoral Officer withdrew his earlier statement to put the matter finally to rest.
The process for the election of the PM then started around 1135hours involving two nominees, Mr Richard Seyram Nyavi and Mr David Kwabla Kugbe.
As at 1224hours when the results were declared, Mr Nyavi polled 28 and his contender, polled 23, with rejected ballots being 4, implying, no winner at the first attempt.
The General Assembly went on break to determine whether to opt for a re-election or adjourn the PM election to be conducted within the next 10 days.
The members reconvened around 1250 hours after which Mr Kugbe announced his withdrawal from the race and a throw of support behind his contender.
The Assembly members then resolved to have Mr Nyavi as the PM and as such, he was declared as PM-elect by popular acclamation.
GNA
MA/KOA