Remove acting DCE from Bawku - MPs

Five NDC Parliamentarians from the Upper East Region on Thursday called for the removal of the Acting Bawku East District Chief Executive (DCE) from office, saying his presence in the area contributed to the present unstable situation there, however, the Regional Minister says there was no Acting District Chief Executive but his Special Assistant.

They also objected to the lack of transparency and objectivity on the part of the Regional Minister in the handling of the Bawku Peace Initiative sponsored by a coalition of non-governmental organisations.

In a letter to the President, Mr John Akologu Tia, NDC-Talensi, Mr Cletus Avoka, NDC-Bawku West, Mr Ben Achidago, NDC-Binduri, Mr Moses Asaga, NDC-Nabdam and Mr Albert Abongo, NDC-Bongo, said these were the main sources of the conflict.

"As the people's representatives who are privy to the facts on the ground, we shall be shirking our responsibility if we don't acquaint government, the good people of this country and the world at large as to the causes of the latest conflict in Bawku."

The Members said: "The appointment of Mr Abdul Rahman Guma by the Regional Minister as his Special Assistant to oversee the affairs of the District Assembly despite the fact that he was rejected as the President's nominee by the assembly in a poll dated May, 17th, 2001, by a vote of 51 per cent. His subsequent appointment was seen as an imposition on the people."

They said: "He polled only 49.3 per cent of the votes cast instead of the two-thirds as required by the Constitution. He also failed to secure 50 per cent to qualify him for a second round of ballot as demanded by section 16 (8) of the standing orders of the District Assembly."

The members said the Regional Minister foisted him on the assembly after the President withdrew his nomination. The MPs said the President had directed the Regional Minister to take personal responsibility over the administration of the district.

"The perception on the ground was that the Regional Minister had fraudulently imposed a DCE on the people and also that he had done this to spite them."

The members said despite pleas from well-meaning citizens of the Region to Mr Mahami to remove Mr Guma from office, the Regional Minister stood his grounds.

"Some group of people in Bawku were waiting for the least opportunity to show by might that the Regional Minister's special assistant must stay in office and damned the consequences whilst another group wanted him out as demanded by law. This was the recipe for the conflict which the Regional Minister knew, but failed to avert."

On the Regional Minister's role, they said he should have convinced the Mamprusi faction that pulled out of the peace process to return and beefed up security in the area as it became apparent that a crisis was looming.

The Regional Minister, Mr Salifu Mahami told the Ghana News Agency that the Bawku conflict was long standing and the immediate cause of the recent outbreak was the burning of a kiosk and a retaliatory burning of a cargo truck.

He said it was not true that Mr Gumah failed to obtain 50 per cent of the votes cast by the members of the District Assembly on May 17 since he obtained 38 of the 76 valid votes cast.

A letter from the EC dated July 4, 2001 and signed by Mr A. K. Arhin, Director Elections, for the Chairman said: "The total votes cast in the case of the Bawku East confirmation is thus 76 and not 77 due to the single ballot that was rejected because it had no mark on it. Mr Guna thus obtained 38 votes to his credit with 38 against him, hence obtaining the 50 per cent.

"In accordance with Article 243 (1) of the constitution, Mr Guna has obtained the 50 per cent votes required and should thus be given a second chance"

Mr Mahami said the Regional Electoral Officer arranged to hold a second round of voting but he was restrained by suit filed at the Bolgatanga High Court.

However, the suit was later withdrawn that paved the way for the holding of the second round but just as the election was about to commence Mr David Adenzi Kanga, Deputy Chairman of the EC in charge of Administration, rang from Accra to stop the elections.

"We have since been waiting for the EC to conduct the second round voting." Mr Mahami faxed a copy of the "Communiqu? issued at the end of peace and reconciliation consultation among Kusasi, Mamprusi, Bissa, Moshie, Dagomba and

Hausa delegations from Bawku held at Damongo from Monday June 4 to Friday June 8 under the auspices of the Bawku Peace Initiative" to the Ghana News Agency.

It showed that the Mamprusis did not pull out of the meeting as the Members of Parliament claimed since their representatives Seidu Akalifa Bugri, Alhaji Sulemana Yirimea, Clement Bugri and Madam Hawa Ninchema signed the communiqu?.

"The Members of Parliament are playing politics with an otherwise serious situation," Mr Mahami said.