Wenchi MCE Flees From NDC Footsoldiers

NANA YAW Osei Adjei, the Wenchi Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), yesterday escaped from being lynched by irate youth of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) who stormed his office.

The NDC youth, who embarked on a peaceful street protest in the Wenchi Municipality earlier in the day to press home their demand for the immediate removal of the MCE, later marched to the Municipal Assembly to present their petition to state officials there.

Upon arrival at the Assembly, a section of the demonstrators wanted to force their way into Mr. Adjei’s office to drag him out and give him a sound beating. However, armed policemen who were on guard prevented them from executing their intended action.

They did not see the MCE, as nobody at the Assembly seemed to know his whereabouts at that moment.

According to officials, Mr. Adjei was seen in the office earlier in the day but he later disappeared. The departmental heads who were expected to receive the petition of the demonstrators had also disappeared.

Adjei Badu, an official of the Assembly who was present, had to receive the petition on behalf of the MCE.

The Wenchi Constituency NDC Communication Officer, Chris Dugan, who read the petition on behalf of the protesters, issued a seven-day ultimatum for the removal of the MCE or there would be no peace in the municipality.

According to him, failure to meet their demand would result in continuous demonstrations in the constituency.

He described Mr. Adjei as an “arrogant, corrupt, selfish killer and destroyer of an MCE.” He contended that the actions and inactions of the MCE had destroyed their great party.

According to the protesters, who carried placards which read, “Greedy and Selfish MCE”, “Arrogant MCE Must Go”, “Corrupt MCE Must Go” and “Nana Osei Is a Liability to NDC”, the party would suffer a massive defeat in 2012 if Mr. Adjei was not removed from office.

The Deputy Constituency Youth Organiser, Abu Bob, told the press that since the MCE assumed office, he had never visited the constituency secretariat.

He said Mr. Adjei had abandoned the party which brought him to office and had also adopted a divide-and-rule policy just to break the front of the NDC in the constituency.

Among the concerns that the youth raised in their petition were that the MCE had succeeded in destroying the party beyond repairs. According to the angry youth, Mr. Adjei had abandoned the party structures right from the wards, zonal branches, electoral areas and the entire constituency.

They blamed him for refusing to pay NDC polling station agents their allowances though he (the MCE) was the parliamentary candidate in the 2008 general elections.

They also accused the MCE of corruption regarding the renovation of his bungalow and the collection of water levies into secret accounts.

From Fred Tettey Alarti-Amoako, Wenchi