A Local Governance Analyst, George Kyei Baffour, believes national executives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) should intervene in the political impasse in Savelugu.
Speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Kyei Baffour suggested that “the party will have to step in to call those party members to order because “we cannot live in such an anarchic situation.”
The anarchy Mr. Kyei Baffour is referring to are the protests by some NPP youth and some constituency executives against the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Savelugu/Nantong Municipal Assembly.
The MCE, Hajia Ayishetu Seidu’s short tenure has been marred by protests from the irate youth who have been trying to prevent her from gaining access to her office, going as far as locking it up and clashing with Police.
Mr. Kyei Baffour has suggested that, the President must not “kowtow to such unnecessary harassment” from the protesters, but he did add that the angry youth would be more inclined to listen to NPP national executives.
“The party and national and level will have to step in and call those party people to order, do a discussion with them for them to understand the mechanism for nominations and the confirmation and the appointments if MMDCEs.”
“Let the national party Chairman and the General Secretary and other top brass of the party also make an interaction because they are the ultimate. Party people will relate very well with their General Secretary and their National Organizer better than somebody from the Presidency. “
Despite the calls for the NPP to intervene, the President himself has spoken on the political tensions in Savelugu and described the protests as unacceptable, and has thus asked the police to bring such law breakers to book.
The protesters contend that, Hajia Ayishetu Seidu, is an alien and not a registered voter in the constituency, thus they want her replaced.
However, speaking during the swearing-in of Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo on Monday, President Akufo-Addo urged “the police to do all in their power to bring to book all who fall foul of the law,” with respect to the protests in Savelugu.
As the president spoke, there was a delegation from the Presidency in the Savelugu township, led by a Minister of State at the Presidency, Bryan Acheampong, to mediate the political impasse. The youth however rejected such pleas and reiterated their complaints against the MCE.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama, believes most of the irate NPP youth will eventually come around to support the MCE.
Also speaking on Eyewitness News, Hajia Mahama said: “there are a few people who are not supporting her [Hajia Ayishetu Seidu], but I believe that with time, they will also come online and they will support her.”
In the meantime, Hajia Mahama acknowledged that, the President had spoken authoritatively on the matter and assured that the law will stand firm in Savelugu.
She said the police were “taking charge and watching and assessing the situation” and that “they will arrest anybody who tries to engage in any misdeeds in the area.”
“She [Hajia Ayishetu Seidu] will wake up like every other person who goes to work and go to her office and work, and if anybody tries to prevent her, the law will take its full course,” the Minister added.
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(Via: CitiFM Online Ghana)