Akatsi Assembly condemns planned protest against DCE

Akatsi (V/R), April 28, GNA - Members of the Akatsi District Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution condemning a planned demonstration in Akatsi last Monday by a group of people to force Mr Nicholas Negble, the District Chief Executive (DCE), out of office for alleged embezzlement of state funds.

The Assembly came out with the resolution after a closed-door sitting, saying, it took a serious view of the planned demonstration and advised that all grievances and queries about the Assembly's operations should be channelled through the appropriate quarters.

"We of the Assembly wish to disassociate ourselves from such illegal actions and therefore condemn the plan which would only disturb the peace in the district", the Presiding Member, Togbe Agbalekpor II, told the Ghana News Agency.

He said article 462, Section 27 (1) of the Assemblies Standing Order states that "every District Assembly should have a Public Relations and complaints Committee which shall be chaired by the Presiding Member to receive and resolve all complaints about the Assemblies".

The Assembly's resolution followed a query by Mr Francis Tengey, Assembly Member for Agbedrafor Electoral Area about the presence of an armed policeman at the meeting.

Mr Negble then explained that he was there to protect him in the face of threats by a group, which had planned a street protest against him and thereby force him out of office.

The House then retired into a close door meeting to consider the situation after which it came out with the resolution.

The DCE who said he felt unsafe, stated that he was prepared to quit office at any moment but not at the instance of groups whose weapon is calumny.

Last Monday. heavily armed police personnel were deployed in Akatsi to forestall a likely disturbance of the peace following the withdrawal of permit to a group of people to demonstrate against the DCE.

The group accused Mr Negble of embezzling state funds, including 380 million cedis from the HIPC Fund.