Suhum: Assembly Members fight MCE over election of Presiding Member

Tension is looming in the Suhum Municipality Assembly of the Eastern Region as a Cross-section of the Assembly Members are up against their Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mrs. Margaret Darko Dankwah over the election of a Presiding Member for the Assembly.

The Assembly members have on six occasions failed to elect a PM due to allege power struggles between the MCE and the some members who are aligned to the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) caucus during the fourth quarter of last year, presented one Mr. Alexander Oduro to contest with Mr. Richard Afasi who contested for the position but failed to secure a two-thirds majority after six rounds of voting on different occasions.

The ruling NPP has 14 elected Members with an additional 14 government appointees including the MCE making a total of 28 while the NDC has only 15 elected assembly members who are to elect the Presiding Member with at least 30 votes to get the two-thirds of the majority vote.

But to the NDC caucus, until the MCE decide to give them some key positions of the Assembly, they will not vote for anymore candidate who will be chosen by her.

At the first round of voting, Mr. Oduro polled 28 votes with Mr. Afasi polling 15 votes and repeated the same figures in the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds respectively.

Investigations conducted indicate that the MCE rejected their offer on the basis that their wish for key positions could not be granted. To her, the strength of Assembly ought to emanate from the NPP members and not the NDC.

This decision of the MCE has virtually caused a halt in the business of the Assembly since its inauguration.

The NPP who are thirsty for the development of the Municipality has resorted to a new candidate, Mr. Lawerh, a former Assembly Member of Zorh Electoral Area who will soon be presented to the house for the seventh election.

The MCE, Mrs. Margaret Darkwa Darko, reacting to the development said the NDC members are just politicizing the election of the PM which could retard the development of the Assembly.

She accused them of finding all means to undermining and frustrating her work at the Assembly, which she says will not allow to happen.

Meanwhile, the Assembly Members have also threatened not to confirm her nomination should the President Akufo-Addo reappoints her as the MCE for the area or any other person since they do not have a PM which is against the constitution of the Assembly.

But, she has rubbished the threats, saying that it is the President who has the final say and not them as Assembly Members.