The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) of the Agotime-Ziope Constituency in the Volta Region is asking the District Chief Executive, David Dickson Dzorkpe of the area to “come clean and apologize” over what they described as falsehood his [the DCE] claim that he is working hard to ensure that government absorbs the Ziope Senior High School into the public school system.

According to the NDC a statement copied Awake News, “In a goodwill message delivered on Saturday 31st August 2019 during the Grand Durbar to climax this year’s Agbleza of the Chiefs and people of Ziope traditional area, the District Chief Executive for Agotime-Ziope District Assembly, Hon. David Dickson Dzorkpe alleged, to the bewilderment of patrons of the festival, that Ziope Senior High School was yet to be absorbed into the Public system of second cycle education in Ghana and that he was taking every step possible for the school’s absorption. He also added, rather mischievously, that he, as DCE, had pushed for the infrastructural growth of the school.”

But the NDC has taken on the DCE saying his claims are totally false and afront on the hardworks of the Ziope people adding that the School which is a bi-product of the efforts of the good people of Ziope led by their MP, Charles Agbeve was absorbed into the publication school system far back in 2012/2013 academic year during former President Mahama’s administration.

“The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is taken aback by these unfortunate comments from the DCE and would like to express our disgust at it. We see the DCE’s actions and comment as an affront on the hardworks of the good people of Ziope which saw the establishment of the school and most importantly the previous government led by John Dramani Mahama which made sure the school was eventually absorbed in the 2012/2013 academic year. Hon. David Dickson Dzorkpe’s actions were therefore simply a continuation of the gross incompetence of the NPP government in general and their appointees in particular and a calculated attempt to snatch underserved glory.”

Providing some details to prove their point, the statement said:

“For the avoidance of doubt, Ziope Senior High School was absorbed into the public Senior High School system in the 2012/2013 academic year and since then has had both teaching and non-teaching staff posted by Ghana Education Service and remunerated through Controller and Accountant General’s Department.

An evidence of the absorption is an approval letter from Ghana Education Service, dated 25th June, 2013 with reference number: PS/50/13.01/19, captioned: APPROVAL FOR ABSORPTION INTO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM 2012/2013, ZIOPE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – ZIOPE, which was signed by the then Director-General, Benedicta Naana Biney (MS).

Excerpts from the said letter read:
“It is my pleasure to inform you that approval has been granted Ziope Senior High School to operate as Public Day School with effect from the 2012/1013 Academic Year.

By a copy of this letter the Regional Director is required to put necessary arrangements in place to post required personnel to the school. The school is expected to charge the current approved fee.
Programme(s) approved to be run is/are General Arts, Business, Home Economics.
Your West African Examination Centre number is 0070125.

By this approval, the school qualifies to submit applications to the registrar, Scholarship Secretariats for the award of merit and Hardworking Scholarship”.

The Agotime – Ziope NDC is by this release calling on the DCE in particular and the NPP in general, to come clean on the state of Ziope Senior High School, and do the honourable thing of rendering an unqualified apology to the people of Ziope for his uninformed comments.”

Read the full statement:

PRESS RELEASE
05/09/2019
For Immediate Release
To All Media Houses

COME CLEAN AND APOLOGIZE, DCE FOR AGOTIME-ZIOPE

In a goodwill message delivered on Saturday 31st August, 2019 during the Grand Durbar to climax this year’s Agbleza of the Chiefs and people of Ziope traditional area, the District Chief Executive for Agotime-Ziope District Assembly, Hon. David Dickson Dzorkpe alleged, to the bewilderment of patrons of the festival, that Ziope Senior High School was yet to be absorbed into the Public system of second cycle education in Ghana and that he was taking every step possible for the school’s absorption. He also added, rather mischievously, that he, as DCE, had pushed for the infrastructural growth of the school.

The DCE’s comments followed that of the Member of Parliament for the area, Hon. Charles Agbeve, who was full of praise and commendation for the chiefs and people of Ziope Traditional Area for instituting the annual festival as means of developing the area. The MP mentioned Ziope Senior High School as an example of such developmental projects which came as a result of the celebrations and further commended them for making sure the school was absorbed by the government.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is taken aback by these unfortunate comments from the DCE and would like to express our disgust at it. We see the DCE’s actions and comment as an affront on the hardworks of the good people of Ziope which saw the establishment of the school and most importantly the previous government led by John Dramani Mahama which made sure the school was eventually absorbed in the 2012/2013 academic year. Hon. David Dickson Dzorkpe’s actions were therefore simply a continuation of the gross incompetence of the NPP government in general and their appointees in particular and a calculated attempt to snatch underserved glory.

For the avoidance of doubt, Ziope Senior High School was absorbed into the public Senior High School system in the 2012/2013 academic year and since then has had both teaching and non-teaching staff posted by Ghana Education Service and remunerated through Controller and Accountant General’s Department.

An evidence of the absorption is an approval letter from Ghana Education Service, dated 25th June, 2013 with reference number: PS/50/13.01/19, captioned: APPROVAL FOR ABSORPTION INTO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM 2012/2013, ZIOPE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – ZIOPE, which was signed by the then Director General, Benedicta Naana Biney (MS).

Excerpts from the said letter read:
“It is my pleasure to inform you that approval has been granted Ziope Senior High School to operate as Public Day School with effect from the 2012/1013 Academic Year.

By a copy of this letter the Regional Director is required to put necessary arrangements in place to post required personnel to the school. The school is expected to charge the current approved fee.
Programme(s) approved to be run is/are General Arts, Business, Home Economics.
Your West African Examination Centre number is 0070125.

By this approval, the school qualifies to submit applications to the registrar, Scholarship Secretariats for the award of merit and Hardworking Scholarship”.

The Agotime – Ziope NDC is by this release calling on the DCE in particular and the NPP in general, to come clean on the state of Ziope Senior High School, and do the honourable thing of rendering an unqualified apology to the people of Ziope for his uninformed comments.

NDC COMMUNICATION TEAM,

AGOTIME -ZIOPE CONSTITUENCY (0246311582)