We will not accept unlawful confirmation of Jomoro MCE nominee

13.10.2021 LISTEN

Some aggrieved Assembly Members of the Jomoro Municipality of the Western Region have urged the Electoral Commission, Ghana Police and the Western Regional Minister to ensure free and fair election in Jomoro over the confirmation of the President's MCE nominee, Louisa Iris Arde.

The President's MCE nominee for Jomoro Municipality on Friday, October 8, 2021 failed to secure the two-third majority of the Assembly Members to become their Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), an election officiated by the Electoral Commission and witnessed by the Western Regional Minister, Kobby Okyere Darko-Mensah and the Ghana Police Service at Half Assini.

Out of the 49 votes, Louisa Arde polled 32 "YES" votes as against 16 "NO" votes and one rejected ballot.

However, the Assembly Members are expected to reconvene on Wednesday, October 13, 2021 to confirm or reject Louisa Arde.

But some concerned Assembly Members of Jomoro Municipality have petitioned the EC, Ghana Police and the Western Regional Minister to conduct a free and fair election so that the results would be accepted by all.

According to these angry Assembly Members, the first confirmation which took place on October 8, was not transparent.

"We wish to register our displeasure on the entire process of the confirmation on the 8th of October 2021 at the Jomoro Municipal Assembly Hall", they said.

They emphasized, "Also, we wish to state categorically that such an unlawful act of impunity cannot be accepted and would be met with equal measure if allowed in the subsequent confirmation process".

They are therefore, demanding that the Assembly Members should be allowed to appoint an agent to witness the sorting and counting of the ballot papers.

"The Assembly Members should be allowed to observe a transparent sorting and counting process of their own ballots by appointing two agents, one of which should represent a YES and NO ballots in sorting process", they urged.

They are also appealing, "We are by this petition pleading on our Traditional Authorities, the Clergy, the Security services, the leadership of the Jomoro Assembly, the Western Regional Minister and all stakeholders to ensure that there is a smooth and transparent confirmation to foster peace and harmony in the Jomoro Municipality. Anything less than what is spelled out in the Constitution of the republic would not be entertained and that may jeopardize the process of confirmation and other related matters".

The Concerned Assembly Members are calling on the Jomoro Municipal Police Command to do a professional job on Wednesday by protecting everybody and not a certain group of people.

Read below the petition by the Concerned Jomoro Assembly Members;

PETITION TO RESIST FORCEFUL AND DISRESPECT FOR ASSEMBLY MEMBERS IN JOMORO REGARDS TO MCE NOMINEE

We bring to your attention the atrocities that were committed in the recent confirmation of the Jomoro MCE nominee. Prior to the confirmation process, the Assembly Members had picked details of what had happened in other Districts which was directly or indirectly supervised by the Regional Minister in association with the NPP leadership in the Western Region.

Some of these Intelligence picked were;

1. Counting of already thumb printed ballot papers as against the ballots cast by Hon. Assembly Members

2. Declaration of a false results after undisclosed counting

3. Revocation of appointment of Government Appointees without recourse to appropriate recall procedures

4. Brutalizing Assembly Members who would want to observe sorting and counting

5. Not allowing Assembly Members to represent and protect their votes.

6. In some cases, the Regional Organizer of the NPP sited in mingling in the electoral process.

However, the Jomoro Assembly Members thought being calm and allowing a free, fair and transparent election will produce a good results and foster a smooth relationship between the nominee and assembly members.

The election however saw nothing less than exactly what was embodied in the speculations and atrocities, abuse of power, disrespect of electoral process, disregard to Assembly Members and their right under the watch of the Regional Minister, the Regional NPP Chairman and his Executives, the Electoral Commission, the Security Services especially the Police.

These acts are grossly unacceptable under this Fourth Republic and in our practice of democratic governance.

We wish to register our displeasure on the entire process of the confirmation on the 8th of October 2021 at the Jomoro Municipal Assembly Hall.

Also, we wish to state categorically that such an unlawful act of impunity cannot be accepted and would be met with equal measure if allowed in the subsequent confirmation process.

We ask that due processes following lawful standard of events is what should be practiced going forward;

1. The ground rules should be set by Electoral Commission who was very unprofessional in the last confirmation and the Assembly Members before the process begins.

2. The Assembly Members should be allowed to observe a transparent sorting and counting process of their own ballots by appointing two agents, one of which should represent a YES and NO ballots in sorting process.

3. Security presence in the Assembly Hall at the process voting, sorting and counting should not be more than five officers and under no condition shall they interfere with voting, sorting and counting.

We are by this petition pleading on our Traditional Authorities, the Clergy, the Security services, the leadership of the Jomoro Assembly, the Western Regional Minister and all stakeholders to ensure that there is a smooth and transparent confirmation to foster peace and harmony in the Jomoro Municipality. Anything less than what is spelled out in the Constitution of the republic would not be entertained and that may jeopardize the process of confirmation and other related matters.

We are also by this petition calling on the District Police Command to do a professional job as they are known for and not kowtow to any abusive individuals or group who would protect their selfish gains at the detriment of the people of Jomoro. In fact, we are not asking for much, we are only asking that the laws of Ghana as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution demands with regards to all public elections.

We believe that for the sake of peace and harmonious living of the people, our petition would be treated with utmost respect and regards for human life.

Counting on you in this times of need.

Thanks you!

*From: Concerned Assembly members of Jomoro*

Sign:

Chairman: Hon. Emmanuel Assuachie Erzoah

Secretary: Hon. Benedict Boadi

Sign:

Organizer: Hon. Abubakar Hamid Kabenla

Cc:

Western Regional Coordinating Council

Western Nzema Traditional Area

Ghana Police Service Half Assini