The Central Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Prof. Richard Asiedu has stated emphatically that the vetting for the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executive aspirants was transparent, devoid of favouritism.
According to him, the over a hundred and fifty (150) aspirants were all given a level playing field to exhibit their competences, while a panel of judges scored them according to their (aspirants) strength.
“The highest number of aspirants from a constituency was twenty-two (22) from Upper Dankyira West with the least number being five (5) from the Abura Asebu Kwamankese constituency”.
The Central Regional Chairman of the NDC was speaking to the media in Cape Coast, shortly after the three-day vetting process which begun on Tuesday, 14th January, 2025 and ended on Thursday, 16th January, 2025.
“Vetting started from Awutu Senya East, Mfantseman, Swedru, Kasoa, Winneba through to Assin Fosu and ended at Upper Dankyira West”, Professor Asiedu disclosed.
He pointed out that all the applicants had gone through the standardized vetting processes and had attained their scores based on merit.
The panel of judges included former government appointees, the women organizer, representatives of the regional council of elders and MPs caucus and the regional youth organizer.
According to the Central Regional Chairman of NDC, the assessment was independently done and no one was influenced.
“If anyone thought they could influence someone on the panel, they were wrong because you can’t pay everyone on the panel and the judges based their scoring on competence”, he iterated.
Prof Richard Asiedu further stated that the process through which the selection of the aspiring MMDCEs was conducted was fair.
“Even some Members of Parliament who supported some aspirants and wanted favours from the panel could not be favoured because of the rigid nature of the process”, he revealed.
The names of the sixty-nine (69) shortlisted aspirants from the twenty-three(23) constituencies, with three persons from each constituency would be forwarded to the president for selection and further appointment of the MMDCEs in the Central Region.
Out of the 69 shortlisted aspirants, only five were women.
