Paramount Chiefs from three out of four traditional areas in the South-Dayi District of the Volta Region have expressed their outmost displeasure over the re-nomination of Hon. Semanu Kafui Bekoe as the chief executive of the area.
A press statement jointly signed by, Torgbui Asuo Kwesi V, Torgbui Adza Wiah Kwesi II and Torgbui Aku Dompeh XI, paramount chiefs of Tongor, Kpalime and Kpeve traditional areas respectively, and issued at a press conference held in Peki, last Friday, the chiefs said the re-nomination Of the DCE, came as surprise to them especially when they (chiefs) have petitioned the government through the Volta regional minister Hon. Nii Laryea Afottey-Agbo and the NDC party hierarchy both in the region and at the national level, against the chief executive’s re-nomination.
According to the statement read by the Regent of Tongor-Tsanaakpe, Torgbui Dompreh Aboagye, the chiefs said, they can no longer work with the DCE, who they said has an “insulting behavior” towards them, citing an instance in 2011 at a festival at Todome-Kpalime, where the DCE described the chiefs as ‘insatiable lots’.
“We can no longer work with the out-going DCE because of his insulting behavior towards us, chiefs”
The statement also accused the DCE of not consulting them (chiefs) and other opinion leaders from the three traditional areas on key developmental issues; this the chiefs said is contributing to ‘the existing suspicion and disunity within the district’.
The chiefs are however, accusing the Member of Parliament for the area, Hon. Edem Asimah for manipulating the system to get the incumbent DCE, Hon. Kafui Bekoe re-nominated though, according to the statement, the DCE openly stated that ‘he is no longer interested in the position on health grounds’.
“No single person within the district/constituency has the mandate to determine who the DCE should be. His actions are very dangerous, without honour and could impact on peaceful co-existence” the statement noted.
The chiefs further stated that political positions must be equitably distributed among the four traditional areas of Tongor, Kpeve, Kpalime and Peki.
“Both Peki and Kpalime traditional areas have held the position of District Chief Executive before. For equity to prevail, it should now be the turn of Tongor and Kpeve traditional areas to contest for the position of District Chief Executive.”
The chiefs through the statement are strongly appealing to the President Mahama to reconsider the re-nomination of Hon. Kafui Bekoe as DCE; else they will be compelled to advise themselves.
“We hope we shall not be boxed into a corner that brings no comfort, peace and cooperation but distress and conflict” the statement ended.
Meanwhile, the three paramount chiefs in the statement also call on the president to as a matter of urgency to investigate the implementation of a water project in the area, alleging impropriety on the part of the DCE, Kafui Bekoe and MP, Edem Asimah, which led to a shoddy execution of the project. According to the statement, water has never flow through the pipes since the project was commissioned.
“Evidence abounds that inferior materials were used to carry out the project at a huge cost. Sadly, water failed to flow through the pipes up till today”.
