Appointment Of MCE For Tema : Focus More On Competence, Exposure And Track Records - Ga-Dangme Youth Appeal To Tema Chiefs

Nii Ayaafio Tetteh I, President, Ga-Dangme Concerned Youth

Wednesday March 29, 2017, Tema: The Ga-Dangme Concerned Youth Group has described as too radical the stance by some Chiefs of Tema who have indicated their readiness to withdraw courtesies to anybody without a pure Ga ancestry appointed to the position of Chief Executive of the Municipal Assembly.

The group said, the Ga-Dangme people have a common ancestry and exist as a unit, as such, any person of this extraction with the requisite academic qualifications, experience and exposure as well as knowledge of terrain should be embraced and assisted to take over the administration of the assembly and the overall development of the area.

Commenting on the phenomenon, the President of the group, Nii Ayaafio Tetteh I, said “We the youth are rather of the considered opinion that our chiefs and leaders should be minded more about capability and proven records of the candidates. Tema must move forward, and as quickly as possible; anybody preferably of Ga-Dangme lineage with a positive mindset and the capacity to turn things around for the better and who wins the confidence and trust of the President (and the selection committee) must readily be accepted and aided to succeed”.

“We will all share in that success if Tema moves further up the development ladder”, he emphasized.

Touching briefly on history, he stated that the metropolis has had, in recent times, chief executives who were not necessarily pure indigenes and cited examples including Hon. David Annang, Nii Armarh Ashittey and Kempes Ofosu-Ware. “Ga-Dangme is one unified block and that is how it must be treated”, he added.

It will be recalled that on Sunday March 26, 2017 the chiefs of Tema held a press calling on the President and the Local Government Minister to consider only Tema indigenes for appointment to the high office of Chief Executive of the metropolis.

Speaking on behalf of the chiefs, the Tema Traditional stool Secretary, Nii Amarh Somponu II intimated that the traditional authorities were going to withdraw courtesies to any “alien” so appointed if their call was not heeded.

The youth have however waded in with a call on the chiefs to ease their stance to make room for progress.