NPP Wants Edumadze?s Head

Reports Filtering into the offices of Daily Guide have it that, the Central Regional branch of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), has called for the removal of the Regional Minister, Hon Isaac Edumadze.

This call was allegedly arrived at, a meeting of the Regional Executive Committee, at Cape Coast, last Saturday, March 11, 2006. According to our reports, a resolution of ?No Confidence? had been passed in the minister, at the meeting, and it would be forwarded to the President, John Agyekum Kufuor, within the week.

Information has it further that, this resolution was reached, based on a claim by Hon. Edumadze that, he could not work with the regional party executive. In fact, he is reported to have declared at the national executive meeting, recently, that, he could not assist the party in the region, when the issue cropped up, why certain regional ministers, including Edumadze, were not helping the party, in their various regions. According to information, Hon Edumadze is reported to have said at that meeting that, he personally, cannot assist the party, for the reason that, some party members, both inside the outside Parliament, had accused him of corruption.

What is more, because of the procurement law, which stipulates that, all contracts should be openly advertised, and bidded for, he could not do anything behind the scenes, to portray him further as corrupt. Sources has it that, based on his assertion by Hon Edumadze, he became the subject for hot discussions at that Regional Executive meeting, last Saturday.

When Hon. Edumadze was contacted on phone, he pointed out that, he was gravely aware of machinations against him, by his party members, and the derogatory remarks some of them had made about him, which had appeared on the internet. He mentioned, particularly Hon. P.C. Appiah Ofori, MP for Asikuma/Odoben/Brakwa, and Hon Ken Ohene Agyapong, whom, he said, had accused him, personally, of corruption, in the media.

The Regional Minister however maintained that, the President was very much aware of his effectiveness in the region, and would not, necessarily, bother his head over such flimsy allegations. When Mr Danquah Smith (Butu) Central Regional NPP chairman, was contacted, he denied the meeting discussed the minister.

He recalled that, he was very much aware of the fact that the regional minister was not on good terms with him. However, he was out there to serve his party, stressing that when the party was in opposition, there was nothing as regional minister, or district chief executive (DCE), yet the party struggled, and came to power.