The Bongo Constituency Chairman Who Nearly Denied His Constituency a DCE
The Bongo Constituency Chairman Who Nearly Denied His Constituency a DCE - Greed or Vindictiveness?
How Selective Leadership Almost Cost Bongo Its Presiding Member and DCE.
Bongo Constituency came dangerously close to a governance crisis — rumors from Party sympathizers who came to observe the process were all pointing to the biased leadership style of the Bongo Constituency Chairman, Mr. Tahiru Aberinga, and the Member of Parliament.
They grumbled that the Chairman and MP's selective and unfair approach to appointing government appointees was the cause of the confusion and division within the party and the District Assembly.
Reports has it that the chairman and MP perpetrated the act without broad consultation, appointments were given even to Constituency executives leaving the grassroots based on loyalty to a privileged few rather than merit, balance, or competence. This created discontent and division among assembly members.
When it was time to elect a Presiding Member (PM), two NDC candidates, both caught in the web of internal party divisions, contested against each other. Neither was able to secure the required two-thirds majority, resulting in a stalemate that threatened the confirmation of a District Chief Executive (DCE) for Bongo.
The Constituency Chairman, who has been accused of sidelining the majority of his executives while working only with those he considers loyal to him, appears determined to pursue a mission he has vowed not to abandon.
According to party sympathizers and some of the sidelined executives, the chaos that erupted yesterday was a direct result of what they described as the Chairman's abuse of power, his apparent disregard for certain Constituency executives, and the divide-and-rule tactics allegedly employed by the Member of Parliament, Hon. Charles Adongo Bawa-Duah.
One of the Presiding Member candidates even claimed he was denied access to the list of government appointees until the elections were about to begin. He further alleged that when he confronted the two key figures behind the list, (the MP and the Chairman), a day before the election, both denied any knowledge of those selected. The Chairman reportedly claimed the list was being handled by the MP, while the MP pointed back at the Chairman.
This confusing and evasive handling of the process left many in the party's grassroots base disillusioned, especially coming from an MP who had campaigned on the promise of party unity.
What saved the situation was the wise intervention of the Paramount Chief of Bongo, Naba Baba Salifu Alemyaarum Atamale, The regional chairman and his team and the selfless decision of the said sidelined constituency organizer and PM contestant Mr. Philemon Ataba, who voluntarily stepped down to end the impasse. His sacrifice allowed the assembly to move forward, elect a PM, and subsequently confirm a DCE.
Watch the acceptance speech of Ataba after the plea of the Bongo Paramount Chief.
