Friday, April 17, 2009

TAMALE WELCOMES PRESIDENT'S NOMINEE (PAGE 29)

MOST residents of Tamale have welcomed the choice of Alhaji Abdulai Haruna Friday as the President’s nominee for the position of the Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive.
According to most of the residents, Alhaji Friday is not only matured and experienced as a former district chief executive but also had the temperament to address people’s concerns.
“Tamale has become cosmopolitan and we need such matured and experienced people to manage the affairs of the metropolis and for that matter I think President Mills made the right choice,” Mr Iddi Mumuni, a student opined.
A trader, Hajia Fati Yakubu, however expressed a different view. “For me, the position should have gone to a fresh and younger person with good initiatives that can unite and accelerate the development of this growing city.”
Party executives in the Chereponi Constituency have also described the nomination of Alhaji Mohammed Seidu Issah Abah as appropriate in view of his commitment to the party over the years.
In a statement signed by the constituency secretary of the party, Moses Iddrisu Kofi-Ka, it indicated that “in view of his rich experience in governance, coupled with his excellent human relations, Alhaji Abah would be able to chart the development path of our young district forward in the right direction.”
There have however been protestations in some districts in the Northern Region since the announcement of the nomination of district chief executives for those areas.
Notable among the nominees whose selection has generated some controversies are those of Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo, Karaga, Bole and the Gushiegu districts.
At Bunkpurugu, the supporters on Tuesday morning embarked on a demonstration on the major streets of the town to express their grievances.
They accused the nominee, Abdulai, of not playing any active role in the activities of the party, especially during the last general elections.
They threatened to continue with the demonstrations and also destroy the NDC party office if their concerns were not addressed and the nomination of Mr Siibli as the DCE withdrawn.
At Karaga, some members of the party also described the nomination of one Mr Mohammed Amin as unfortunate.
According to them, the nominee was from Tamale and was, therefore, not known to a majority of people in the area.
Supporters of the NDC at Bole also accused the nominee, Mr Seidu Abudu, of being temperamental, not a team player and, therefore, would not be able to manage the affairs of the district well.
Some of the supporters have threatened to lobby their assembly members to vote against the President’s nominees if their concerns were not addressed.

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