By Evans Worlanyo Ameamu
Tokor (VR), May 30, GNA- Some irate youths, believed to be supporters and party faithful of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta Region have allegedly locked the municipal office of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), at Tokor.
The protest was against a tip-off appointment of an individual rather than the NDC Constituency organiser, as communicated earlier from the party’s national office.
Mr. Emmanuel Dorklu, the Assembly Member for Kpodzi Agbogbome Electoral area, who is also the NDC Branch Chairman, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), alleged that the Member of Parliament for the Constituency, Madam Abla Dzifa Gomashie, was behind the decision to deny the rightful person from occupying the NADMO office.
He explained that Mr. Ferguson Ahorlu, the Constituency Organiser who had worked with the NADMO for the past 10 years and was deemed to be one of the hardworking organisers of the NDC in the region, had the qualification and experience that made him well-suited for the position of NADMO Coordinator.
“The NDC’s national office had directed that the party’s constituency organisers should head the NADMO offices in their respective constituencies and the directives can only be changed if an organiser is not interested in the position or does not qualify,” he said.
He said that the objective of locking the NADMO office was to put pressure on the party leaders to do the right thing and appoint Mr. Ferguson Ahorlu as the NADMO Coordinator.
They believed that the party would listen to their concerns and make the necessary corrections.
Mr. Dorklu expressed concern that denying Mr. Ahorlu the position could create unnecessary tension, misunderstanding and chaos among party faithful and supporters in the constituency.
“The issue is not about party loyalty but about doing what is right,” he said.
He said the protest was to highlight the importance of following party directives and recognising the qualifications and experience of party members.
He urged the leadership of NDC at the national office to act fast to ensure that the right decision was taken.
Some party sympathisers, worried about the situation, appealed to the party hierarchy to honour its own directives and appoint a rightful person to be the NADMO Coordinator.
According to a section of the youth Mr. Emmanuel Dorklu or Mr. Ferguson Ahorlu, the NDC Constituency Organiser in the Ketu South Constituency were the rightful persons who qualified to occupy and head the NADMO office in the area.
The GNA gathered that there was no official announcement about appointment of a substantive NADMO Coordinator for Ketu South municipality and the protest by the youth was based on speculations, hearsay and allegations against the MP of the area.
Meanwhile, Madam Dzifa Abla Gomashie, the Ketu South MP, in a press statement released on Friday, May 30 and copied to the Ghana News Agency, debunked the allegations and expressed surprise over the situation.
“I have not been briefed about anyone being given a slot as the head of such position and I am surprised to read and listen to accusations of a change of name on the slot for the Municipal NADMO Coordinator,” she stated
She explained that she only lobbied for positions and the opportunity for slots available to be filled were only shared with her by the Former MP and at no point was the constituency organiser made any approach for the said position.
GNA
Edited by: Maxwell Awumah/Benjamin Mensah