Days after some concerned NPP groups from Shama Abuesi and Aboadze embarked on a demonstration exercise to demand the dismissal of the Shama District Chief Executive, Joseph Amoah, for non-performance and alleged diversion of premix fuel, another NPP group has also emerged, this time, supporting the DCE.
The NPP Shama Constituency Secretary, Emmanuel Mark Ackon addressing a press conference from the constituency office at Inchaban on behalf of the counter group refuted allegations of non-performance against the DCE.
He also advised the DCE to sue those claiming that he diverted premix fuel.
There has been tension in the Shama District following supposed friction between supporters of the DCE and the NPP constituency chairman, De-Graft Kwame Tawiah.
On Tuesday, June 25, 2019, a group calling itself Concerned NPP Activists of Shama Aboadze and Abuesi in collaboration with the Coalition of Canoe Owners and Fishermen, Youth and Development groups, GPRTU drivers demonstrated against the DCE accusing him of poor-performance and fraudulent activities.
The Convener of the group, John Kobina Abban, an NPP activist, insisted that the DCE’s interference in premix fuel issues and paying more attention to his education are denying the district of the needed development.
The group thus called on the President, Nana Akufo-Addo to sack the DCE.
“All that we are asking from the President is to get rid of the DCE. Our reason is that immediately he was appointed, he enrolled at the UCC and so he is not having time for us. Any time you get to the assembly to see him, they say he has gone to school. Again he has selected some people to sell the premix fuel meant for the fishermen, but are diverting it and he seems not to care about it. So what we want to say is that the President must look at it and get rid of him immediately.”
“If the DCE of Shama remains with the high tensions, I don’t know what will happen to him because the youth are not happy with him,” he said.
The assemblyman for Aboadze, Isaac Baidoo, giving other key reasons the DCE must be sacked in a petition, to the President on behalf of the demonstrating groups, said the DCE has slowed the development of the district.
“The first reason for our petition for the removal of Shama DCE is his meddling in Chieftaincy matters in the Shama District. DCE Joseph Amoah is responsible for the intense chieftaincy troubles at Konfueku community where he used his office to facilitate the crowning of a faction head as chief.”
“He is also responsible for party disunity as he is always at war with constituency executives and Chairman, bringing the name of the great party into disrepute. And more importantly, the major road from Shama junction to the District capital of Shama is in a deplorable condition. The whole district is lagging behind in development as projects and most public structures are deteriorating without maintenance, with example being the Shama Health Center which has still not seen completion,” the assemblyman added.
Meanwhile, a new counter group calling itself Concerned Members of NPP, supported by Coalition of Concerned Youth of Abaodze and Abuesi, Association of Landing Beach Committees and Concerned Assembly members of Shama have thrown their weight behind the DCE.
The Shama NPP Constituency Secretary, Emmanuel Mark Ackon addressing journalists at the party office at Shama-Inchaban on behalf of the counter group refuted earlier allegations made against the DCE.
“The allegations against the DCE are lies conceived to tarnish the image of the DCE, Joseph Amoah and to downplay the achievement of the government as well as the district assembly. It is indeed calculated to serve the interest of some faceless self-centered individuals and their paymasters. We are also calling on the DCE to go to court to clear his reputation, unless off course the claims by the groups is true which we don’t believe.”
“The group’s citing of the DCE of creating disunity is also not possible and unbelievable. He has been a party activist since 1992 and it was this same DCE who led the NPP in Shama in the year 2000 as a Constituency Secretary to power and as a Chairman in 2016, also led us into power. Such a character would not like to destroy something that he has helped to build.”
The DCE for Shama in a Citi News interview said the allegations are all false as he is committed to the development of Shama.
“What I know for a fact is that, there are some people in the district who have been against me even before I was appointed as a DCE and even when my name was mentioned they organized demonstrations that the President shouldn’t appoint me. My schooling is in no way affecting my responsibilities as a DCE since I have devised ways to manage the two. However, even when I attend meetings at the regional level or even work related event, they assume I have gone to school.”
“More so, we have done a lot with roads across the district but the road from the Junction to Shama town is a major road and ceremonial one which is beyond the capacity of the District. Meanwhile the MP and I have made a lot of moves for that road to be fixed. We have submitted some roads to the Ministry and in most cases the Shama road is number one on our request. They also accused me of diverting premix fuel. In fact the same people had earlier written a petition to the President that I divert premix and sell on the black market. It is very serious and grievous allegation against me but I am not involved in all those things. Looking at the seriousness of this allegation, I have decided to go to court for them to prove.”