Prez Kufuor fires 12 DCEs

President John Agyekum Kufuor has fired 12 District and Municipal Chief Executives, even as DAILY GUIDE sources claim more are on their way out.

The announcement was contained in a release signed by the Chief of Staff and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Kwadwo O. Mpiani.

Pending the nomination of substantive Chief Executives for the districts, the President has directed deputy regional ministers in the respective regions to act as DCEs.

Falling under the presidential axe are Mada Ismail Beliwie, Sissala West; Adams Mahama Isahaku, Wa East; Abdul-Rahman Gumah, Bawku Municipality; Moses Appiah Abaare, Bawku West and Elizabeth Pigit Poyari, Bunkpurgu.

Others are Alhaji Yakubu Bukari, Zabzugu-Tatale; Asamoah Boateng, Amansie Central; George Lord Gyamfi Fenten, Asante Akyem South, and Bright Addae Mununkum, Bosumtwi-Atwima-Kwanwoma.

The rest are Cynthia Titriku Danso, Sene; Salamatu Elizabeth Furgor, Bole and Sebastian Tibil Bisnab, Talensi-Nabdam.

Mr. Kofi Mensah Demitia, the DCE for Krachi West has been ordered to return to his former employment, according to the release.

The Daily Guide said about 60 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) nationwide, are likely to be relieved of their posts in the ongoing exercise.

The development, which is currently being discussed among various categories of people within the three northern regions, according to the paper, has sent shivers down the spines of some DCEs who are engulfed in fear that they could be among the unfortunate ones.

The paper, quoting a source at the New Patriotic Party (NPP) headquarters, the exercise is to pave way for fresh blood to be injected into the last lap of President Kufuor's administration and calm the political turmoil in some of the areas ahead of the 2008 general elections.

The source, which pleaded anonymity, disclosed that apart from the 12 DCEs, more people from the three northern regions have been penciled down for dismissal.

A cross-section of some DCEs, in separate interviews, received the information with shock and disclosed that they had had hints of the exercise but were surprised at the timing.

According to them, this is a period during which things should be allowed to move in a systematic pattern in order to guard against unforeseen divisions in the forefront of the party as most of the officials commanded appreciable following in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

Others, on the contrary, alluded to the fact that they were appointed by the same authorities and could be fired without recourse to whatever view they held or contributions they had made for the development of their respective districts during their tenure of office.