Ada youth appeal to President Akufo-Addo over sacked Ada East District appointees

The Ada Youth for Development, a non-governmental organisation composed of the youth of Ada on Thursday May 18, 2017 held a press conference at the forecourt of Radio Ada at Big-Ada to express their grievances over the dismissal of nine government appointees to the Ada East District Assembly following the rejection of the president’s nominee for District Chief Executive, Hon. Sarah Dugbakie Pobee on Monday.

The youth insist democracy was at full display when 23 assembly members voted against 13 which meant the nominee failed to be endorsed. They have therefore expressed their displeasure over the dismissal of the nine hitherto assembly members and request that democracy must be allowed to reign in Ada.

Below is the full text of the press release:

PRESS STATEMENT BY ADA YOUTH FOR DEVELOPMENT ON THE APPOINTMENT AND REJECTION OF THE DISTRICT CHIEF EXECUTIVE NOMINEE FOR ADA EAST ASSEMBLY – ‘THE ADAS KNOW WHAT IS GOOD FOR US’

Friends of the media, good and bold citizens of our land Ada, ladies and gentlemen, all protocols duly observed. We humbly welcome you all to this morning’s Press Conference, and appreciate your presence even at the short notice.

Ghana’s Democracy has been upheld and admired by many across the world through the country’s ability to institute acts and policies such as the 1992 constitution and the Local Government Act, 1993 (Act 462), which directs and guides the core of democracy and decentralization.

The involvement of the citizenry particularly the youth in the political process is an essential part of local governance and democracy across the globe and must not be threaten by any individual, group of person(s), government and political actors. Mr Emmanuel Macron, a man in his youthful stage has been elected the president of France. Indeed a great indication for youthful participation in the governance process.

We, the Youth of Ada wish to congratulate the president, His Excellency Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo on his election to the highest office of the land as President of the Republic of Ghana.

We acknowledge and appreciate his constitutional mandate and powers, particularly (Article 243) by which Madam Sarah Pobee was nominated DCE for Ada East District. However, we are highly disappointed in His Excellency the President, the Greater Accra Regional Minister and other political actors who are riding on political power to undermine the constitutional rights, and victimize the Honourable Members of the Ada East District Assembly who were constitutionally elected to serve the interest of the good people of the Ada Land. It is interesting to note that the revocation of appointment of the Nine government appointees on Monday, 15/05/2017 by the president in the said letter quoted the Local government Act 2016 (Act 936), Section (9), sub-section (6a). Is the Minister ignorant of the act or a deliberate attempt to abuse the Rule of Law?

Mr President, in as much as we vested our power in you to “hire and fire” we seek to ask if the rejection of a DCE nominee is a benchmark or yardstick to revoke Government Appointees of the District Assembly. If yes, then we the Youth of Ada shout “Halleluyah” but why were Government Appointees of other jurisdiction with same situations not dismissed? Is there any discrimination ongoing for which we the people of Ada East not aware?

If no, in the spirit of principle and good governance, we the natives of Ada who vested our power in you are therefore seeking for reasons why our Honourable Members were dismissed? We vehemently protest and condemn such political victimization on our people, we are equally Ghanaians. We believe in Developmental Local Governance in which the Local Government is committed to work with citizens and groups within the community to find sustainable ways to meet their social, economic and material needs and improve the quality of their lives.

For this reason, we the youth of Ada call on the President ,His Excellency Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo, the Greater Accra Regional Minister and the political actors to respect the voice of our Assembly Members, the Youth , Opinion leaders and the Ada East people in entirety regarding his Nominee for the District Chief Executive position.

In as much as we the people of Ada respect and acknowledge the president’s power to appoint the DCE for District, we also believe that a vote of 13 yes against 23 no, is a clear voice of the people and must be acknowledged and respected by all, including person(s) with political power vested in them by the ordinary people for which Adas are a part instead of the political threat, display of arrogance, disrespect and power.

If local Governance is in the best interest of promoting democracy and local development, then why should the Regional Minister demand for Honourable Assembly Members particularly Government Appointees to show their ballot which is supposed to be a secret vote? Where is our right then? Why would the Regional Minister threaten to place embargo on the Assembly’s expenditure if the nominee is not approved? Are our rights as a people now conditional to political ransoms? Isn’t it scaring and a threat to democracy and the rule of law?

Mr President, you unequivocally said “we believe that the business of government is to govern. Ours is to set fair rules”. We ask, where are the fair rules you refer to when the Regional Minister, Hon. Ishmael Ashitey is using political power to undermine the electoral processes of the Ada East District Assembly. Mr President promised to serve the public interest with courage. We therefore call on him to allow the Assembly Members of the Ada East to serve the good people of Ada with same courage.

We have no doubt that our listening president; Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo would respectfully respond to our call as he said in his speech, “I will not let you, the people of Ghana, down’. Mr President please do not let We the People of Ada Down!

Thank you.

GOD BLESS OUR HOME LAND GHANA, ADA, AND ADA YOUTH FOR DEVELOPMENT!!!
Ada Youth for Development
Secretary
……………………….
Gideon Teye Agbashie
0248812781