Petition Against Asunafo North Municipal

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K. Boateng 11 years ago

The columnist Mr Oheneba Poku could have done well by publishing the names of the these "CONCERNED NDC PARTY YOUTH OF ASUNAFO NORTH CONSTITUENCY (GOASO) OF BRONG AHAFO REGION" so that the NDC party hierarchy, either regional ...
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The columnist Mr Oheneba Poku could have done well by publishing the names of the these "CONCERNED NDC PARTY YOUTH OF ASUNAFO NORTH CONSTITUENCY (GOASO) OF BRONG AHAFO REGION" so that the NDC party hierarchy, either regional or national, could have known the people to deal with to contact in order to settle their concerns. But as at now, all the petitioners appear anonymous so whom should the party leaders contact in order to address their "concerns"? This petition to me, seems to derive from some didgruntled cowards who find Mr. Doku too hot to handle in the District.
OHENEBA POKU 11 years ago

This commentator is calling for names, so as to help the party hierarchy deal with the issue.
But one paramount question to be asked is that, did she or he also forget to write his/her name? This question is necessary, becau ...
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This commentator is calling for names, so as to help the party hierarchy deal with the issue.
But one paramount question to be asked is that, did she or he also forget to write his/her name? This question is necessary, because if a mere commentator could be concerned but anonymous just as he/she has done then, where does the idea of somebody being coward lies. So, any wiser reader would get to know that the critic is even more coward and much peeved than the youth.
Laugh out loud, ye youth of NDC, for the days of Alhaji Mohammed Kwaku Doku are over.
Dr. Martin Sunyani 11 years ago

I am neither an N.D.C party member nor a friend to Hon. Alhaji Mohammed Doku whom the petitioners want removed from office as the Municipal Chief Executive of Asunafo North Municipal Assembly largely on account of destroying ...
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I am neither an N.D.C party member nor a friend to Hon. Alhaji Mohammed Doku whom the petitioners want removed from office as the Municipal Chief Executive of Asunafo North Municipal Assembly largely on account of destroying the National Democratic Congress Party in Asunafo North Constituency and also on grounds of incompetence.

However, as a student of politics I have observed and studied Honourable Alhaji Mohammed Doku from the side line while working at Sunyani.

I read the petition with keen interest and was disappointed at its opening paragraph which sought to create the impression that the petition was without prejudice but it ended being prejudicial to the image of Honourable Doku as I know him. The petitioners also sought “to bring up to date the state of the NDC party of the Asunafo North Constituency” but ended up with a lot of factual inaccuracies that should not be allowed to pass unnoticed. Thus considered, it leaves one with the feeling that the petition was borne out of mischief, ill-feeling, mere envy and reflected a case of sour grapes.

Parties everywhere are born out of conviction in opinion of who gets what where and how of the valuable resources of the nation. They are therefore a collective mindset and it is really mind boggling and indeed a puzzle to think that an individual could consistently change the fortunes of the party from 1999 to date.

Commenting on the defeat of the NDC Party in the 2000 elections attention ought to be drawn to the fact that the Party lost the elections generally, it was not peculiar to Asunafo North. Besides, Honourable Alhaji Mohammed Doku took office as District Chief Executive of the then Asunafo District Assembly on 20th September, 2000 and had less than two (2) months to organize the constituency for the 2000 general elections. Until then, he was the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) Director for Asutifi District.

In 2004 Hon. Doku was the Regional Secretary of the Party at Sunyani and served as the campaign manager of the party at the Regional level. His intention was to revamp the party with the help of others. Fortunately, with the help of the late Hon. Kwadwo Mahama, Honourable Collins Dauda, H.E. Cecilia Johnson, H.E. Owusu Acheampong and Hon. Asiedu Nketia the results were positive. This was because even though the party won seven (7) seats in the 2000 elections, the number of seats was increased to 10 seats in the 2004 elections but dipped to nine (9) in 2008 elections when Hon. Doku had left the regional secretatriat to context as a candidate for the Asunafo North seat.

It is difficult to see how Alhaji Doku could be a campaign manager at Goaso for Madam Christian Atakora Mensah and a campaign manager at the Regional Office at the same time 2004.

As a Parliamentary candidate in the 2008 general elections he reduced the margin between the NPP and NDC from 7,600 to 3,093 in Asunafo North Constituency. This figure has narrowed down to 1,584 in the 2012 elections. This should be commended and not condemned by any objective observer.

As regards the MCE’s promise to make one Mohammed Lamin, an NPP member, the next MCE in the event that he won the elections in 2008, it would seem that the petitioners lost sight of the role by the Constituency Party Executives as well as the Regional Party Executive in processing political appointees for the appointment by the President. It is, therefore, difficult to see how Hon. Doku could have made such a promise to Mohammed Lamin conscious of the fact that he was not the appointing authority.

Secondly, Mohammed Lamin entered the University of Cape Coast in 1999 and completed in 2002 and served as the National Service Co-ordinator in Goaso instead 2004 as indicated by the petitioners.

Furthermore, that the MCE fought a panelist at success FM over the reported poor performance of Asunafo North Municipal Assembly by Dr. Tony Aidoo is not true. The truth is that the Policy Evaluation and Oversight Unit (PEOU) of the office of the President, headed by Dr. Tony Aidoo, had created a National Baseline Data Bank for all Ministries, Departments and Agencies and had started the process of performance tracking of policies and their derivative programmes and projects.

As part of this process all Assemblies were requested to provide and to update (on monthly basis) information relating to the policies, programmes and projects being pursued or contemplated. The soft copy of such information was to be submitted to Dr. Tony Aidoo’s Office at the Castle, Osu every month.

A meeting of all Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies in the Northern Sector of Ghana was held at Prempeh Assembly Hall, Kumasi to identify Assemblies that had defaulted in sending their monthly reports. Unfortunately Dr. Aidoo had left office for almost a month on regional tour and did not have a complete update of the report from the various Districts. Accordingly, when Asunafo Municipal Assembly among others was identified as a defaulting Assembly he was proved wrong and he accepted it.

When this issue was being misrepresented by the NPP representative, Crenstil Nyarko at Success F.M in Goaso, the MCE was invited and subsequently went to the radio station to clarify the error and to point out that the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has an elaborate scheme for assessing the performance of District Assemblies known as the Functional Organizational Assessment Tool (FOAT). When Hon. Doku was given the chance, he pointed out that since 2006 when the instrument was put in place (ie during the NPP administration) Asunafo Municipal Assembly had never passed the test and that it was during his era as MCE that the Assembly was successful and has since been. He disclosed that the Assembly scored 62% (2009), in 2010 it scored 82% for the District Development Facility (DDF) and 84% for the Urban Development Grant (UDG) and for 2011 Assessment the Assembly scored 90% for DDF and 92% for UDG. The panelist Crestil Nyarko who was ignorant of these facts found it difficult and embarrassing accepting that it was rather during the NPP’s era that the Assembly never performed and that this therefore denied the Assembly of funds for development projects during the NPP era started raining insults on the Government and the MCE.

Referring to the 2012 Presidential and Parliamentary results, if the MCE indeed lacked the ability to inspire, persuade and motivate party members, it would have reflected in his performance.

As it stands, one expects that if there was so much hatred for the MCE the votes for the President would have outstripped that of the Parliamentary candidate taking into consideration the fact that the hardcore party loyalists would have voted for His Excellency John Dramani Mahama and perhaps the MCE would have only benefitted from the floating voters who did not know him too well. Interestingly, however the MCE had 26, 820 whereas H.E. the President polled 26,493 Votes.

THE MAN (HON. ALHAJI MOHAMMED KWAKU DOKU) AS I KNOW HIM
Putting mischief aside, putting ill-feeling and envy aside, I believe the good people of Asunafo North particularly the NDC party faithful should count themselves fortunate for having this gentleman whom I consider as a political gem.

Honourable Alhaji Mohammed Kwaku Doku’s involvement in the politics of Asunafo District Assembly dates back to 1985 when he got himself involved in Local Governance.

PERIOD POSITION HELD
1984-1988 Member Goaso Abotanso PDC
1985-1988 Organizing Secretary, Town Development Committee (Goaso)
1988-1993 Elected Assemblyman Abotanso (Goaso)
1990-1992 Convener, Project Implementation and monitoring sub- committee (Asunafo District Assembly, Goaso)
1992-1993 District Organizing Assistant of CDRs
1994-1995 District Director NCCE , Asunafo District (Goaso)
1995-2000 District Director Asutifi District (Kenyase)
September 20th 2000- February 2001- District Chief Executive (Asunafo District Assembly)

After NDC lost the election in 2001 Hon. Doku volunteered to serve as Secretary to the Party at the Regional Office in Sunyani. This period involved immense sacrifices. First, the Regional Secretariat was run on the benevolence of a few public spirited party loyalists. He teamed up with the late Hon. Kwadwo Mahama, Hon. Collins Dauda, Honourable Asiedu Nketia, H.E. Cecilia Johnson and H.E. Owusu Acheampong, among others, to revamp the party. This seemed to have paid off since the party improved its fortunes from 7 seats in 2000 to 10 seats in 2004 elections. In 2008 the figure came down to nine (9) but has since risen to 16 in the 2012 elections.

No wonder that when the NPP formed a committee to review their poor performance at the polls in the Brong Ahfo Region in 2004, Hon. Effah Dartey Nkrabeah commented that the Regional Team of the NDC was more properly organized and motivated than the NPP. This success of the party at the Regional Level was largely due to the immense sacrifices that Hon. Doku had run for the party.

In 2007 Hon. Doku contested the Primaries with Mr. George Baryeh and Madam Christiana Atakora Mensah and won. In the elections that followed in 2008 he narrowed the gap between the NPP and NDC in the previous election from 7,600 to 3,093 but lost to the NPP. In May 2009 he was sworn into office as the Municipal Chief Executive of Asunafo North Municipal Assembly.

Since assuming office 2009 the MCE has provided a more directive, visionary and strong leadership with the ability to communicate effectively with all stakeholders in harnessing the abundant human and material resources in the Municipality. He has provided creativity in dealing with the developmental challenges of the constituency.

Keen observers in Asunafo North Constituency will agree that the Municipality owes its tremendous improvement in terms of development projects to the untiring efforts of Honourable Alhaji Mohammed Kwaku Doku. For example, at a time nobody thought it possible that a state owned Midwifery School could be established in the Brong Ahafo Region, he made it a reality in the establishment of the first ever state owned Midwifery Training School in Goaso

H.E. John Dramani Mahama on his campaign tour to Goaso confirmed the inordinate pressure the MCE put on him to ensure that the project became a reality. At the rally ground the President entreated the people of the constituency to vote for Honourable Doku so that more of such projects would come to the constituency. I also remember that it was due to his hard work that Nana Goasomanhene gave him the accolade “Adwumawura”.

Similarly, when drivers cried for assistance to the MCE to help establish a licenscing Office in Goaso he responded positively and today Goaso has a Licenscing Office.

Furthermore, the MCE saw to the establishment of the Department of Urban Roads in Goaso and other projects during his tenure.
All the above projects are indelible marks Hon. Doku and the NDC Government have left for the people of Asunafo North Municipality within four (4) year.

Considering, these among others namely his coordination and participation in the process (Press Conference) that proved that the party emblem for the NDC was not the bonafide property of the former first Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings it is difficult to see what else the MCE could have done to show his love for his people, his party and the country at large. Those who are seeking his removal from office ought to sincerely acknowledge these achievements.

Finally, it may be said that but for the inordinate desire of some people who see themselves as the only people destined to rule who destroyed the chances of the party to the extent of playing game with the opposition just to ensure that once they will not get the power then Hon. Alhaji Mahommed Kwaku Doku too would not go to parliament, the NDC would surely have won the seat in Asunafo North Constituency. The Honourable MCE did his best-it is his detractors who stole the votes of the party and now conscious that the President in his own wisdom is likely to reward Hon. Doku for his hard work are slinging all sort of mud on him. The question is will the mud stick on Hon. Doku? Only time will tell.
OHENEBA POKU 11 years ago

This is what a good ‘Professor’ told me, when my university year group in the first year misbehaved - “once you people continue to behave as SSS students, we in the administration would continue to treat and serve you a ...
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This is what a good ‘Professor’ told me, when my university year group in the first year misbehaved - “once you people continue to behave as SSS students, we in the administration would continue to treat and serve you as SSS students”.

If Dr. Martin happens to be a medical doctor and a former student politician as he best claims, then we would like to congratulate him for the work done for Alhaji Mohammed Kwaku Doku (MKD), but if it is the opposite, then we are deeply sorry to say that he must go and come again, for we are tempted to believe that, doctorate degree worth not pursuing anymore, if Dr. Martin no more makes research before any critique. The privileged columnist in the person of Dr. Martin should first spare us by saying; I am neither an NDC party member nor a friend to MKD, however, have observed and studied Honourable Alhaji MDK from the side line while working at Sunyani.

For your information, Dr. Martin, ‘we’ are with the person you claimed to have studied and observed from the side line. Have you ever asked yourself how long have ‘we’ also studied Honourable Alhaji Mohammed K. Doku?

For this reason of you, the critic, not sitting upright, we would like to pull the bull by the horn by responding to issues as he paraphrased them. After strict perusal of Dr. Martin’s rejoinder, some pertinent issues also cannot be left without interrogating them. For convenience sake, we are quoting whatever Dr. Martin said, by quoting each paragraph and politically treating each canker. For this reason, our responses have been italicized.

Firstly, Dr. Martin said, “Parties everywhere are born out of conviction in opinion of who gets what where and how of the valuable resources of the nation. They are therefore a collective mindset and it is really mind boggling and indeed a puzzle to think that an individual could consistently change the fortunes of the party from 1999 to date? Commenting on the defeat of the NDC Party in the 2000 elections attention ought to be drawn to the fact that the Party lost the elections generally, it was not peculiar to Asunafo North. Besides, Honourable Alhaji Mohammed Doku took office as District Chief Executive of the then Asunafo District Assembly on 20th September, 2000 and had less than two (2) months to organize the constituency for the 2000 general elections”.

Harold D. Lasswell indeed said “politics simply means who gets what when and how”.
Dr.Martin, are by anyway have confirmed to us as to why Alhaji MKD and the bootlickers around him are amassing wealth for themselves?
For some other reasons we would not like to go there! Again, we would not move you Dr. Martin or any reader even far from the same constituency to prove to you that the opposition party, the NPP also lost both 2008 and 2012 elections, nevertheless, Honourable Robert Sarfo Mensah (the name Alhaji MKD does not want to hear) won the parliamentary seat on a silver platter. Again, we admit that Alhaji MKD had little time to prepare the party to win its traditional seat; his ego salso let the party down.

Again, Dr. Martin said “The petitioners also sought “to bring up to date the state of the NDC party of the Asunafo North Constituency” but ended up with a lot of factual inaccuracies that should not be allowed to pass unnoticed”.
Dates, times and names could be changed and mentioned, it still does not change the content or message. Alhaji Mohammed Kwaku Doku, because of his self-image, is no force to reckon with by the NPP even if given 77 chances.
Moreover, Dr. Martin said, “In 2004 Hon. Doku was the Regional Secretary of the Party at Sunyani and served as the campaign manager of the party at the Regional level. His intention was to revamp the party with the help of others. Fortunately, with the help of the late Hon. Kwadwo Mahama, Honourable Collins Dauda, H.E. Cecilia Johnson, H.E. OwusuAcheampong and Hon. AsieduNketia the results were positive. This was because even though the party won seven (7) seats in the 2000 elections, the number of seats was increased to 10 seats in the 2004 elections but dipped to nine (9) in 2008 elections when Hon. Doku had left the regional secretariat to context as a candidate for the Asunafo North seat.
As a Parliamentary candidate in the 2008 general elections he reduced the margin between the NPP and NDC from 7,600 to 3,093 in Asunafo North Constituency. This figure has narrowed down to 1,584 in the 2012 elections. This should be commended and not condemned by any objective observer”.
Any objective observer cannot conclude that MKD reduced the margin or believe that Hon. Alhaji MKD’s candidature helped in narrowing a gap. We, however, at this juncture asking an undoubting question that;
-Does Hon. MKD contest the traditional parliamentary seat to win or to help narrow a gap?
We, from an objective perspective would also have respected it that much if Alhaji MKD could have used the experiences gained as a former regional party secretary to win an election in a constituency where NDC had twice won.
For Christ sake, is Alhaji MKD also by any means reiterating that, he is linked to Messrs Alhaji Collins Dauda, Hon. Asiedu Nketia, Hon Cecilia Johnson and Hon. H.E Acheampong so he should be allowed ruining the party?
Doesn’t Dr. Martin think that era is passed?
Furthermore, Dr. Martin said, “as regards the MCE’s promise to make one Mohammed Lamin, an NPP member, the next MCE in the event that he won the elections in 2008, it would seem that the petitioners lost sight of the role by the Constituency Party Executives as well as the Regional Party Executive in processing political appointees for the appointment by the President. It is, therefore, difficult to see how Hon. Doku could have made such a promise to Mohammed Lamin conscious of the fact that he was not the appointing authority”.
It must be state categorically here that, we, the youth do not in any way underestimating the potential and the role of the party hierarchy at both regional and constituency level as the critic claims. However, we only brought to bare, how Alhaji MKD, either as political gimmick or fun- fool respect, needlessly promised Mr. Mohammed Lamin, a MCE position should he leave office. This intelligence, he played by supporting a faction chasing the Imamship of the municipality let the party down in the Zongo’s.
Dr. Martin said, “Furthermore, that the MCE fought a panelist at success FM over the reported poor performance of Asunafo North Municipal Assembly by Dr. Tony Aidoo is not true”.
The panelist Crenstil Nyarko was never ignorant of any facts that were put out by the Policy Evaluation and Oversight Unit (PEOU) of the office of the President, headed by Dr. Tony Aidoo.
-Does an MCE (doubling as a parliamentary candidate) go to a radio station and assaults a panelist he believed to have misrepresented his party’s report?
We, in the constituency know it as a bare fact that MKD out of anger fought the Success FM panelist in the person of Crenstil Nyarko in Goaso and this made him unpopular. We also know some ‘floating voters’ whom we tried convincing to vote for NDC party and him (MKD) during the electioneering period but ignored us because of this act of MKD.
Dr. Martin said, “Referring to the 2012 Presidential and Parliamentary results, if the MCE indeed lacked the ability to inspire, persuade and motivate party members, it would have reflected in his performance. As it stands, one expects that if there was so much hatred for the MCE the votes for the President would have outstripped that of the Parliamentary candidate taking into consideration the fact that the hardcore party loyalists would have voted for His Excellency John Dramani Mahama and perhaps the MCE would have only benefitted from the floating voters who did not know him too well. Interestingly, however the MCE had 26, 820 whereas H.E. the President polled 26,493 Votes”.
This does not come into play at all. There is no hatred or whatsoever for MKD. Is just a matter of any political psychoanalyst realizing that MKD is no force to reckon with by the NPP? If indeed he (MKD) does not lack the ability to inspire, persuade and motivate party members, the NPP parliamentary candidate in the person of Hon. Robert Sarfo Mensah (whom, his own party secretary contested him because the secretary like many others believed that he is a flop) would not have won the elections for the third time in Asunafo North Constituency in spite of the NPP’s poor campaign strategy.
Dr. Martin out of extreme anxiety said, “THE MAN (HON. ALHAJI MOHAMMED KWAKU DOKU) as I know him putting mischief aside, putting ill-feeling and envy aside, I believe the good people of Asunafo North particularly the NDC party faithful should count themselves fortunate for having this gentleman whom I consider as a political gem.

Honourable Alhaji Mohammed Kwaku Doku’s involvement in the politics of Asunafo District Assembly dates back to 1985 when he got himself involved in Local Governance.

PERIOD POSITION HELD
1984-1988 Member Goaso Abotanso PDC
1985-1988 Organizing Secretary, Town Development Committee (Goaso)
1988-1993 Elected Assemblyman Abotanso (Goaso)
1990-1992 Convener, Project Implementation and monitoring sub- committee (Asunafo District Assembly, Goaso)
1992-1993 District Organizing Assistant of CDRs
1994-1995 District Director NCCE , Asunafo District (Goaso)
1995-2000 District Director Asutifi District (Kenyase)
September 20th 2000- February 2001- District Chief Executive (Asunafo District Assembly)
After NDC lost the election in 2001 Hon. Doku volunteered to serve as Secretary to the Party at the Regional Office in Sunyani”.
Firstly, we would like to place it on record that if the NDC party have ever been run on the benevolence of a few public spirited party loyalists, who truly sacrificed for the party in the ASUNAFO NORTH CONSTITUENCY, then, the name HON. ALHAJI MOHAMMED KWAKU DOKU would not fall even on the 100th list of names as his own profile shows. We believe that if Dr. Martin knew Asunafo North Constituency very well he would have sincerely be apologetic to several chiefs/ queens, priest, educationist, just to mention few who risked their stools and offices for our dear party-the NDC.
- The questions are that, does MKD know the whereabout of the chiefs/queens priest, educationist and several others that risked for the party?
-Anyway, if MKD claims to be a political gem then, his SAVIOUR/ANCHOR in the person of Alhaji Collins Dauda is WHAT?
Lovingly, we truly admit that MKD has indeed served or held several positions in Goaso.
But Dr. Martin, are you not puzzled or is it not also mind boggling and much disgusting that in spite of all these positions your man, MKD held in GOASO, it had little or no impact on his election in the constituency as the party continuously loses election from one polling station to the another even in the same area MKD has held several offices. Unexcitingly, MKD continually loses elections at where you claimed he was once an assemblyman.
-Does Dr. Martin know how many polling stations his man lost even in GOASO?
-Does Dr. Martin know how many polling stations his man lost in MIM (a town where MKD chose a campaign manager)?
-Why does MKD since 2008 loose elections at all the polling stations in AYOMSO, a town that admittedly, has seen enough developmental projects by the NDC since 1992?
-Why does MKD since 2008 loose elections at all the polling stations in AKRODIE, a town that the former MEMBER of Parliament (from 1992-2000, ON THE TICKET OF THE NDC) hailed from?
Dr. Martin vividly said, “Since assuming office 2009 the MCE has provided a more directive, visionary and strong leadership with the ability to communicate effectively with all stakeholders in harnessing the abundant human and material resources in the Municipality. He has provided creativity in dealing with the developmental challenges of the constituency. For example, at a time nobody thought it possible that a state owned Midwifery School could be established in the Brong Ahafo Region, he made it a reality in the establishment of the first ever state owned Midwifery Training School in Goaso. I also remember that it was due to his hard work that Nana Goaso manhene gave him the accolade “Adwumawura”.
Similarly, when drivers cried for assistance to the MCE to help establish a licenscing Office in Goaso he responded positively and today Goaso has a Licenscing Office.
Furthermore, the MCE saw to the establishment of the Department of Urban Roads in Goaso and other projects during his tenure”.

Development and project establishment are in whose hands? So why would MKD tickle himself and laugh out loud if it was his duty to initiate projects for the betterment of his people.
However, unlike other MCE’s or Parliamentary candidates in the Ashanti or Eastern regions who finds it tougher to win an election (even if they conjure magic for Mana to fall again), one would have expected that these developments should have seen him through the elections. Secondly, the accolade “ADWUMAWURA”, from where ever did not speak for the party’s victory because of what Dr. Martin does not earlier want to admit.
Dr. Martin also said “H.E. John Dramani Mahama on his campaign tour to Goaso confirmed the inordinate pressure the MCE put on him to ensure that the project became a reality. At the rally ground the President entreated the people of the constituency to vote for Honourable Doku so that more of such projects would come to the constituency”.
If Dr. Martin claims that he is a former student politician, then, he should have realized that this is a mere ‘political talk’. Indeed, if H.E. John Dramani Mahama, spent few hours in GOASO and made such speech on behalf of his party’s parliamentary candidate and polled 26,493 votes, many who could come to justice would expect that his party’s MP candidate should have done much better.
Dr. Martin said, ‘it may be said that but for the inordinate desire of some people who see themselves as the only people destined to rule who destroyed the chances of the party to the extent of playing game with the opposition just to ensure that once they will not get the power then Hon. Alhaji Mahommed Kwaku Doku too would not go to parliament, the NDC would surely have won the seat in Asunafo North Constituency”.
Laugh out loud; the ‘Adwumawura’, the political gem as Dr. martin may call him was not able to settle any internal wrangling as it does happen in all parties but remain complacent and lost the 2012 elections.“Se Etire Ne Etire Enkaa, Enkyere Se Bebifour Mefa Nkodi” so the adage goes.We know for a fact that every rank and file in the party, just as they did in the 2008 elections, helped MKD to secure victory but the man KWAKU DOKU as he has remained to be and those around him could never have won the elections.
Dr Martin said, “the Honourable MCE did his best-it is his detractors who stole the votes of the party and now conscious that the President in his own wisdom is likely to reward Hon. Doku for his hard work are slinging all sort of mud on him. The question is will the mud stick on Hon. Doku? Only time will tell”.
Only time will tell, so therefore we believe that Alhaji MKD and his people around him are not by any means lobbying for any position at the constituency, regional and national levels. For we still hold those aforementioned facts as evidence to reveal even to a layman/ignorant person that it would be a blatant unpardonable oversight and politically inaccurate to put Alhaji MKD and the people around him in any political position.
We believe the president H.E John Mahama with all the state apparatus and intelligence around him would not commit such a political blunder.
OHENEBA POKU 11 years ago

THIS REJOINDER IS WRITTEN BY SOME CONCERNED NDC YOUTH IN THE ASUNAFO NORTH CONSTITUENCY AS A RESPONSE TO A REPLY Dr. MARTIN GAVE US ON THE 28 JANUARY AT 04:57PM WHEN WE EARLIER ON PETITIONED THE PARTY HIERARCHY TO REMOVE ALHA ...
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THIS REJOINDER IS WRITTEN BY SOME CONCERNED NDC YOUTH IN THE ASUNAFO NORTH CONSTITUENCY AS A RESPONSE TO A REPLY Dr. MARTIN GAVE US ON THE 28 JANUARY AT 04:57PM WHEN WE EARLIER ON PETITIONED THE PARTY HIERARCHY TO REMOVE ALHAJI MOHAMMED KWAKU DOKU AS THE MUNICIPAL CHIEF EXECUTIVE.

This is what a good ‘Professor’ told me, when my university year group in the first year misbehaved; “once you people continue to behave as SSS students, we in the administration would continue to treat and serve you as SSS students”.

If Dr. Martin happens to be a medical doctor and a former student politician as he best claims, then we would like to congratulate him for the work done for Alhaji Mohammed Kwaku Doku (MKD), but if it is the opposite, then we are deeply sorry to say that he must go and come again, for we are tempted to believe that, doctorate degree worth not pursuing anymore, if Dr. Martin no more makes research before any critique. The privileged columnist in the person of Dr. Martin should first spare us by saying; I am neither an NDC party member nor a friend to Alhali Mohammed Kwaku Doku (MKD), however, have observed and studied Honourable Alhaji MDK from the side line while working at Sunyani.

? For your information, Dr. Martin, ‘we’ are with the person you claimed to have studied and observed from the side line. Have you ever asked yourself how long have ‘we’ also studied Honourable Alhaji Mohammed K. Doku?

For this reason of you, the critic, not sitting upright, we would like to pull the bull by the horn by responding to issues as he paraphrased them. After strict perusal of Dr. Martin’s rejoinder, some pertinent issues also cannot be left without interrogating them. For convenience sake, we are quoting whatever Dr. Martin said, by quoting each paragraph and politically treating each canker. For this reason, our responses have been BULLETED.

Firstly, Dr. Martin said, “Parties everywhere are born out of conviction in opinion of who gets what where and how of the valuable resources of the nation. They are therefore a collective mindset and it is really mind boggling and indeed a puzzle to think that an individual could consistently change the fortunes of the party from 1999 to date? Commenting on the defeat of the NDC Party in the 2000 elections attention ought to be drawn to the fact that the Party lost the elections generally, it was not peculiar to Asunafo North. Besides, Honourable Alhaji Mohammed Doku took office as District Chief Executive of the then Asunafo District Assembly on 20th September, 2000 and had less than two (2) months to organize the constituency for the 2000 general elections”.

? Harold D. Lasswell indeed said “politics simply means who gets what when and how”.
? Dr.Martin, are by anyway have confirmed to us as to why Alhaji MKD and the bootlickers around him are amassing wealth for themselves?
? For some other reasons we would not like to go there! Again, we would not move you Dr. Martin or any reader even far from the same constituency to prove to you that the opposition party, the NPP also lost both 2008 and 2012 elections, nevertheless, Honourable Robert Sarfo Mensah (the name Alhaji MKD does not want to hear) won the parliamentary seat on a silver platter. Again, we admit that Alhaji MKD had little time to prepare the party to win its traditional seat; his ego salso let the party down.

Again, Dr. Martin said “The petitioners also sought “to bring up to date the state of the NDC party of the Asunafo North Constituency” but ended up with a lot of factual inaccuracies that should not be allowed to pass unnoticed”.
? Dates, times and names could be changed and mentioned, it still does not change the content or message. Alhaji Mohammed Kwaku Doku, because of his self-image, is no force to reckon with by the NPP even if given 77 chances.
Moreover, Dr. Martin said, “In 2004 Hon. Doku was the Regional Secretary of the Party at Sunyani and served as the campaign manager of the party at the Regional level. His intention was to revamp the party with the help of others. Fortunately, with the help of the late Hon. Kwadwo Mahama, Honourable Collins Dauda, H.E. Cecilia Johnson, H.E. OwusuAcheampong and Hon. AsieduNketia the results were positive. This was because even though the party won seven (7) seats in the 2000 elections, the number of seats was increased to 10 seats in the 2004 elections but dipped to nine (9) in 2008 elections when Hon. Doku had left the regional secretariat to context as a candidate for the Asunafo North seat.
As a Parliamentary candidate in the 2008 general elections he reduced the margin between the NPP and NDC from 7,600 to 3,093 in Asunafo North Constituency. This figure has narrowed down to 1,584 in the 2012 elections. This should be commended and not condemned by any objective observer”.
? Any objective observer cannot conclude that MKD reduced the margin or believe that Hon. Alhaji MKD’s candidature helped in narrowing a gap. We, however, at this juncture asking an undoubting question that;
? Does Hon. MKD contest the traditional parliamentary seat to win or to help narrow a gap?
? We, from an objective perspective would also have respected it that much if Alhaji MKD could have used the experiences gained as a former regional party secretary to win an election in a constituency where NDC had twice won.
? For Christ sake, is Alhaji MKD also by any means reiterating that, he is linked to Messrs Alhaji Collins Dauda, Hon. Asiedu Nketia, Hon Cecilia Johnson and Hon. H.E Acheampong so he should be allowed ruining the party?
? Doesn’t Dr. Martin think that era is passed?
Furthermore, Dr. Martin said, “as regards the MCE’s promise to make one Mohammed Lamin, an NPP member, the next MCE in the event that he won the elections in 2008, it would seem that the petitioners lost sight of the role by the Constituency Party Executives as well as the Regional Party Executive in processing political appointees for the appointment by the President. It is, therefore, difficult to see how Hon. Doku could have made such a promise to Mohammed Lamin conscious of the fact that he was not the appointing authority”.
? It must be state categorically here that, we, the youth do not in any way underestimating the potential and the role of the party hierarchy at both regional and constituency level as the critic claims. However, we only brought to bare, how Alhaji MKD, either as political gimmick or fun- fool respect, needlessly promised Mr. Mohammed Lamin, a MCE position should he leave office.
? This intelligence, he played by supporting a faction chasing the Imamship of the municipality let the party down in the Zongo’s.
Dr. Martin said, “Furthermore, that the MCE fought a panelist at success FM over the reported poor performance of Asunafo North Municipal Assembly by Dr. Tony Aidoo is not true”.
? The panelist Crenstil Nyarko was never ignorant of any facts that were put out by the Policy Evaluation and Oversight Unit (PEOU) of the office of the President, headed by Dr. Tony Aidoo.
? Does an MCE (doubling as a parliamentary candidate) go to a radio station and assaults a panelist he believed to have misrepresented his party’s report?
? We, in the constituency know it as a bare fact that MKD out of anger fought the Success FM panelist in the person of Crenstil Nyarko in Goaso and this made him unpopular.
? We also know some ‘floating voters’ whom we tried convincing to vote for NDC party and him (MKD) during the electioneering period but ignored us because of this act of MKD.
Dr. Martin said, “Referring to the 2012 Presidential and Parliamentary results, if the MCE indeed lacked the ability to inspire, persuade and motivate party members, it would have reflected in his performance. As it stands, one expects that if there was so much hatred for the MCE the votes for the President would have outstripped that of the Parliamentary candidate taking into consideration the fact that the hardcore party loyalists would have voted for His Excellency John Dramani Mahama and perhaps the MCE would have only benefitted from the floating voters who did not know him too well. Interestingly, however the MCE had 26, 820 whereas H.E. the President polled 26,493 Votes”.
? This does not come into play at all. There is no hatred or whatsoever for MKD. Is just a matter of any political psychoanalyst realizing that MKD is no force to reckon with by the NPP? If indeed he (MKD) does not lack the ability to inspire, persuade and motivate party members, the NPP parliamentary candidate in the person of Hon. Robert Sarfo Mensah (whom, his own party secretary contested him because the secretary like many others believed that he is a flop) would not have won the elections for the third time in Asunafo North Constituency in spite of the NPP’s poor campaign strategy.
Dr. Martin out of extreme anxiety said, “THE MAN (HON. ALHAJI MOHAMMED KWAKU DOKU) as I know him putting mischief aside, putting ill-feeling and envy aside, I believe the good people of Asunafo North particularly the NDC party faithful should count themselves fortunate for having this gentleman whom I consider as a political gem.

Honourable Alhaji Mohammed Kwaku Doku’s involvement in the politics of Asunafo District Assembly dates back to 1985 when he got himself involved in Local Governance.

PERIOD POSITION HELD
1984-1988 Member Goaso Abotanso PDC
1985-1988 Organizing Secretary, Town Development Committee (Goaso)
1988-1993 Elected Assemblyman Abotanso (Goaso)
1990-1992 Convener, Project Implementation and monitoring sub- committee (Asunafo District Assembly, Goaso)
1992-1993 District Organizing Assistant of CDRs
1994-1995 District Director NCCE , Asunafo District (Goaso)
1995-2000 District Director Asutifi District (Kenyase)
September 20th 2000- February 2001- District Chief Executive (Asunafo District Assembly)
After NDC lost the election in 2001 Hon. Doku volunteered to serve as Secretary to the Party at the Regional Office in Sunyani”.
? Firstly, we would like to place it on record that if the NDC party have ever been run on the benevolence of a few public spirited party loyalists, who truly sacrificed for the party in the ASUNAFO NORTH CONSTITUENCY, then, the name HON. ALHAJI MOHAMMED KWAKU DOKU would not fall even on the 100th list of names as his own profile shows.
? We also believe that if Dr. Martin knew Asunafo North Constituency very well he would have sincerely be apologetic to several chiefs/ queens, priest, educationist, just to mention few who risked their stools and offices for our dear party-the NDC.
The questions are that, does MKD know the whereabout of the chiefs/queens priest, educationist and several others that risked for the party?
? Anyway, if MKD claims to be a political gem then, his SAVIOUR/ANCHOR in the person of Alhaji Collins Dauda is WHAT?

? Lovingly, we truly admit that MKD has indeed served or held several positions in Goaso.

? But Dr. Martin, are you not puzzled or is it not also mind boggling and much disgusting that in spite of all these positions your man, MKD held in GOASO, it had little or no impact on his election in the constituency as the party continuously loses election from one polling station to the another even in the same area MKD has held several offices.
? Unexcitingly, MKD continually loses elections at where you claimed he was once an Assemblyman.
? Does Dr. Martin know how many polling stations his man lost even in GOASO?
? Does Dr. Martin know how many polling stations his man lost in MIM (a town where MKD chose a campaign manager)?
? Why does MKD since 2008 loose elections at all the polling stations in AYOMSO, a town that admittedly, has seen enough developmental projects by the NDC since 1992?
? Why does MKD since 2008 loose elections at all the polling stations in AKRODIE, a town that the former MEMBER of Parliament (from 1992-2000, ON THE TICKET OF THE NDC) hailed from?
Dr. Martin vividly said, “Since assuming office 2009 the MCE has provided a more directive, visionary and strong leadership with the ability to communicate effectively with all stakeholders in harnessing the abundant human and material resources in the Municipality. He has provided creativity in dealing with the developmental challenges of the constituency. For example, at a time nobody thought it possible that a state owned Midwifery School could be established in the Brong Ahafo Region, he made it a reality in the establishment of the first ever state owned Midwifery Training School in Goaso. I also remember that it was due to his hard work that Nana Goaso manhene gave him the accolade “Adwumawura”.
Similarly, when drivers cried for assistance to the MCE to help establish a licenscing Office in Goaso he responded positively and today Goaso has a Licenscing Office.
Furthermore, the MCE saw to the establishment of the Department of Urban Roads in Goaso and other projects during his tenure”.
? Development and project establishment are in whose hands?
? So why would MKD tickle himself and laugh out loud if it was his duty to initiate projects for the betterment of his people.
? However, unlike other MCE’s or Parliamentary candidates in the Ashanti or Eastern regions who finds it tougher to win an election (even if they conjure magic for Mana to fall again), one would have expected that these developments should have seen him through the elections.
? Secondly, the accolade “ADWUMAWURA”, from where ever did not speak for the party’s victory because of what Dr. Martin does not earlier want to admit.
Dr. Martin also said “H.E. John Dramani Mahama on his campaign tour to Goaso confirmed the inordinate pressure the MCE put on him to ensure that the project became a reality. At the rally ground the President entreated the people of the constituency to vote for Honourable Doku so that more of such projects would come to the constituency”.
? If Dr. Martin claims that he is a former student politician, then, he should have realized that this is a mere ‘political talk’. Indeed, if H.E. John Dramani Mahama, spent few hours in GOASO and made such speech on behalf of his party’s parliamentary candidate and polled 26,493 votes, many who could come to justice would expect that his party’s MP candidate should have done much better.
Dr. Martin said, ‘it may be said that but for the inordinate desire of some people who see themselves as the only people destined to rule who destroyed the chances of the party to the extent of playing game with the opposition just to ensure that once they will not get the power then Hon. Alhaji Mahommed Kwaku Doku too would not go to parliament, the NDC would surely have won the seat in Asunafo North Constituency”.
? Laugh out loud; the ‘Adwumawura’, the political gem as Dr. martin may call him was not able to settle any internal wrangling as it does happen in all parties but remain complacent and lost the 2012 elections.
? “Se Etire Ne Etire Enkaa, Enkyere Se Bebifour Mefa Nkodi” so the adage goes.We know for a fact that every rank and file in the party, just as they did in the 2008 elections, helped MKD to secure victory but the man KWAKU DOKU as he has remained to be and those around him could never have won the elections.
Dr Martin said, “the Honourable MCE did his best-it is his detractors who stole the votes of the party and now conscious that the President in his own wisdom is likely to reward Hon. Doku for his hard work are slinging all sort of mud on him. The question is will the mud stick on Hon. Doku? Only time will tell”.
? Only time will tell, so therefore we believe that Alhaji MKD and his people around him are not by any means lobbying for any position at the constituency, regional and national levels.
? For we still hold those aforementioned facts as evidence to reveal even to a layman/ignorant person that it would be a blatant unpardonable oversight and politically inaccurate to put Alhaji MKD and the people around him in any political position.
? We believe the president H.E John Mahama with all the state apparatus and intelligence around him would not commit such a political blunder.

Petition Against Asunafo North Municipal

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