CADRES WANT BOLGA MCE REMOVED (PAGE 14, JULY 5, 2010)

Some cadres of the ruling National Democratic Congress(NDC) in the Bolgatanga Municipality of the Upper East Region have called for the immediate removal of the Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Epsona Harry Ayamga, from office.
The cadres are accusing the MCE of perpetuating activities which are detrimental to the interest of the NDC, warning that if care was not taken, they could ruin attempts by the NDC to retain the Bolgatanga Central Constituency parliamentary seat.
Addressing a press conference at Bolgatanga, the Municipal Co-ordinator of the Association of the Committee for the Defence of the Revolution (ACDRs), Mr David Apea, said the continuous stay of Mr Epsona Ayamga Harry in office as MCE was creating division within the party in the constituency.
However, the MCE, in an interview with the Daily Graphic, debunked the assertions of the cadres stressing that his primary focus was to pursue the Better Ghana agenda being championed by President Mills.
He was of the opinion that the cadres were being mischievous and probably being used by some selfish individuals to settle what he described as perceived misunderstandings.
The spokesperson for the cadres, Mr David Apea, accused the MCE of alienating some key members of the constituency executive committee, stressing that ever since he assumed office as MCE, his working relations with some key members of the constituency executive had turned from bad to worse.
After the constituency executive committee elections held in October, 2009, the MCE had failed to even convene a meeting of the contesting parties to heal their wounds and build bridges so as to prepare the grounds for the 2012 elections.
“More worrying is the fact that he himself openly campaigned against some executives who at the end emerged victorious,” they alleged.
The cadres alleged that since the MCE assumed the office, he had not visited or paid a single courtesy call on any chief in the Bolgatanga Municipality, ward chairman and cadres among others and this attitude of his had left the party in shambles with no political cohesion and direction.
They also accused the MCE of engaging in politics of exclusion by categorically declaring himself unwilling and unprepared to work with some of the constituency executives, some of whom collectively worked so hard and tirelessly towards victory in the 2008 general election.
“As cadres with the zeal for fighting for the sustainability of the system, we have advised him on a number of times to reconcile with all those whose toes he stepped on but he has not heeded anybody’s advise,” they said.
They also alleged that the MCE had surrounded himself with some ‘gangs’ who went about intimidating all those opposed to the MCE and mentioned that a meeting attended by constituency executive committee, ward chairmen and youth organisers at the residency of the Regional Minister on June 12, 2010, came to an abrupt end following a near exchange of blows and possibly blood bath when alleged ‘thugs’ mobilised by the MCE attempted to intimidate those opposed to the MCE and preventing them from making their inputs.
According to the cadres, since that meeting took place, some of the cadres have been receiving threats, adding that although all these concerns were raised before the National Outreach Team led by Alhaji Hudu Yahaya, the MCE has refused to reconcile with the cadres.
“In short, the MCE for Bolgatanga is arrogant and a non-conformist. He is not politically in tune with the party agenda,” the cadres said.
Mr Epsona Harry Ayamga stated that he related with all the members of the constituency executive except those who were anti-development. He also insisted that he enjoyed a good working relation with the chiefs in the municipality and emphasised that on assumption of office, he, together with officials of the assembly, paid courtesy calls on 28 chiefs in the municipality.
He also said his partnership with the chiefs had led to the payments of allowances due them that had delayed for the past years. Mr Ayamga dismissed allegations that he had gangs that go about intimidating people, stressing that nothing will deter him from delivering on the NDC campaign manifesto.
The MCE who has served as the Bolgatanga Constituency Chairman of the NDC for 14 years and only stepped down after he was appointed the MCE said he is not opposed to leaving the office as MCE but insisted he will not succumb to pressures from some constituency executive whose sole aim is for him to circumvent procedures to satisfy their parochial interest.
“Why should a constituency executive be annoyed because he or she was not invited to sit in a meeting to open Tender? No politician worth his salt, will come into office and allow some constituency executives to push him or her around to do things that will go against the laws of the country. They don’t want to accept that governance has changed and that things are supposed to be done well and in accordance to the law,” Mr Ayamga said.