In a decision that has sparked widespread debate, setting the Ayawaso East on a timing bomb, the NDC Greater Accra Regional Vetting Committee has selected two controversial candidates for the position of Municipal Chief Executive (MMDCE) for Ayawaso East.

The choice of the two in the list has raised questions about the vetting process and the integrity of the candidates.

One of the candidates, Ismail Horoya Ali, has been embroiled in a scandal that dates back to January 28, 2016, when he was arrested in connection with a cocaine trafficking operation. Sources, including prominent local media outlets such as Modern Ghana News and Daily Guide, confirmed that Ali was involved in the illicit drug trade and had served a one year prison term as a convicted felon. Despite his criminal history, the NDC Greater Accra Regional Vetting Committee has proceeded with his selection, a move that has drawn criticism from local stakeholders and opposition parties who question the vetting procedures.

The second candidate has also faced his share of controversy. A relatively recent addition to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), having joined the party in 2020, has been accused of being involved in fraudulent activities. Allegations against him include scamming individuals and engaging in a visa racketeering. It is alleged that he, in collusion with the Ayawaso East constituency chairman, used party letterheads to facilitate visas processes for certain individuals, including the constituency’s woman organizer, who reportedly benefited from a recent trip to the United States.

The selection of these two candidates has prompted a series of protests and concerns from party members and residents. Tags were reportedly sent to the region to oppose the vetting process, demanding to know why the two were excluded from the initial shortlist during the vetting process, which was headed by the Chairman of the party.

These protests highlight dissatisfaction with the selection criteria, as several individuals with clean records and impressive track records of service were left off a new shortlist after successfully being shortlisted during the two previous vettings.

In a further twist to the unfolding controversy, Madam Valery Sawyer, who is linked to the Office of the President, has been cited in the process with allegations that she promised the Ayawaso East constituency chairman of her intervention to circumvent the process that had been done to pave the way for the chairman’s preferred candidate to emerge victorious.

These claims have raised eyebrows within the party and added fuel to the growing concerns about possible manipulation of the vetting process.

The vetting committee's decision to proceed with Ali and the other candidate has drawn further ire due to claims that the committee failed to adequately consider the curricula vitae (CVs) pres'ented to them by other ^the scrutiny around these candidates intensifies.

By: Isaac Twumasiu