Panic Grips Assembly Staff

Kofi Opoku-Manu


WORK AT the Sekyere East District Assembly in the Ashanti region virtually came to a halt on Thursday, when workers at the assembly abandoned their respective work schedules.

For fear of a possible attack by people who are calling for the dismissal of District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, the workers, according to reports, decided to abandon their jobs for safety reasons.

People who traveled from various places to transact business with the assembly were shocked, as they were no workers at the assembly to attend to them.

In spite of the heavy presence of policemen at the assembly on the said day, the workers did not leave anything to chance as they purportedly refused to attend to work.

Information reaching DAILY GUIDE indicates that the DCE, Kwadwo Addae, for fear of being attacked by his detractors, has since Thursday been seeking refuge in Kumasi.

Sources closed to DAILY GUIDE noted that the terrified workers may return to their normal duties on Monday, if only there was assurance from the police that they would continuously keep surveillance at the place.

Foot-soldiers of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), mainly those from the Zongo communities in the area, for some time now have been agitating for the exit of the DCE for the area.

They argued that the DCE, since assuming the office, has refused to recognize them as an integral part of the party and that he demonstrates more love and passion for members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) more than the NDC.

The agitations deteriorated on Thursday, when the infuriated NDC foot-soldiers laid ambush with all manner of offensive weapons, with the view to attacking the Ashanti regional minister.

Kofi Opoku-Manu, in the company of some leading members of the ruling party, decided to travel to the area on the said day to resolve the protracted dispute between the DCE and the angry NDC foot-soldiers.

Mr Opoku Manu, who had earlier on directed NDC foot-soldiers to beat up NPP members in the Ashanti region, rather suffered the wrath of his ‘boys’ who chased him out of the district.

Unhappy about the visit of the regional minister, the agitated NDC youth laid ambush at the scheduled venue for the meeting, thereby disrupting the intended meeting.

Reports indicated that the police had to fire several gunshots into the air to scare the resolute NDC youth activists who wanted to express their unhappiness about the continuous stay of the DCE in office.

Weeks before the near mayhem, some group of NDC functionaries including branch executives at Effiduase Zongo announced their defection from the ruling party to the NPP in a press conference.

The over 500 NDC activists indicated that they decided to join hands with the NPP due to President Mills’ disinclination to remove the DCE from office.

Days after their press conference, another group of NDC functionaries in the area also held a press conference and threatened to quit the party should President Mills continue to keep the DCE in office.

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