Adjei Sowah to Odododiodoo: Accept Akufo-Addo’s nominee as Accra Mayor
Mohammed Nii Adjei Sowah, the Mayor of Accra, has condemned a protest in the Odododiodoo area of the city against his reported removal from office.
Some of the youth in Odododiodoo, one of the three constituencies within the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) area of Greater Accra, demonstrated on Saturday, threatening to vote against the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) if Sowah is not reappointed to serve as AMA chief executive.
Reliable sources in the government tell Asaase News that Sowah will be replaced by Elizabeth Sackey, a former deputy regional minister for Greater Accra.
In a statement, the mayor said: “I unequivocally denounce any form of disturbances in my name. As responsible citizens, we should recognise the president’s authority to nominate individuals of his choice to promote his agenda and it’s our duty to support the appointees to succeed.”
He added: “I totally support all the president’s nominations and commit to continue to work towards the development of the country. I take this opportunity to call on all well-meaning Ghanaians, especially the NPP party faithful, to support His Excellency the President’s nominations.”
Fit for the job
A press statement issued by the youth said in part: “The Accra Metropolitan Assembly arguably is a pulsating heart of the Greater Accra Region and, for that matter, it deserves a mastermind who can fix its daily conundrums, and deservedly, Mohammed Nii Adjei Sowah fits the bill perfectly …
“Our effusion about who becomes Mayor of Accra may be coming late in the day but it is important to note that whoever the appointing authority nominates is vested not only with a role carved by the Local Government Act that sets it up but also for the politics of it.
“Men say that a stitch in time saves nine, and so we need to take a thousand stitches today to save nine tomorrow.
“We have resolved in our thinking and humbly opine that Mohammed Nii Adjei Sowah, the current Mayor of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, would best fit the portfolio and can serve the president’s vision of Accra and that of the people.
“Our resolve herein is based on the successes Mohammed Nii Adjei Sowah has chalked in supporting the president’s agenda and vision for the Accra Metropolitan Assembly.
“As a true grass root [sic] and a loyalist of the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition, Mohammed Nii Adjei Sowah delivered Greater Accra against all odds by winning 21 seats as regional secretary in the 2016 elections, a portfolio he had held for two terms running. His appointment and having received a 100% confirmation on 24 March 2017 didn’t come as a fluke.
“Adjei Sowah has always prioritised sanitation which has long been an issue in Accra, at the nexus of public safety, public health, the informal economy (which employs about 75% of Accra’s residents) and emissions contributing to climate change. He’s constantly emphasised inclusivity and equity, which remains as his core work.
“He has been aligned to Accra’s development and [has aligned the city’s] budget framework to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) [which] has helped to maintain principles amid this COVID-19 pandemic. Under his tenure, Accra has committed to publishing a Voluntary Local Review (VLR) to report on the progress towards equity and sustainability, which is a first of its kind,” the statement said.
Announcement on Sunday
The much-anticipated list of President Akufo-Addo’s appointees for the offices of metropolitan, municipal and district chief executive (MMDCEs) will be made public on Sunday 19 September 2021 during a press briefing at the Ministry of Information, Asaase Radio can confirm.
The Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Dan Botwe, will take his turn at the weekly briefing to put out the official list he received from the president this week.
