Odododiodioo Youth Block Street In Protest Of AMA Boss’ Removal

Irate New Patriotic Party (NPP) youth on Saturday blocked roads in the Odododiodio Constituency in protest of the substitution of the Metropolitan Chief Executive for Accra, Mohammed Adjei Sowah.

Mr. Sowah is said to have been substituted for Elizabeth Sackey following the completion of the list of MMDCEs by the President.

Ahead of the official announcement of appointees, the NPP youth said a committee that vetted the candidates recommended for the reappointment of Sowah as AMA boss but that President, Akufo-Addo, had rather settled on Elizabeth Sackey, the former deputy Greater Accra regional minister.

In addition to blocking roads, the unhappy youth chanted that they would not vote in the coming elections if Adjei Sowah is not returned to post.

And for many, not voting for NPP in 2024 means voting against it.

The much-awaited metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) list was released on Sunday 19 September by the Local Government Minister, Dan Botwe.

Ahead of the belated release of the list, the National Security establishment was edgy about violence breaking out around the country over the announcements.

In a 16th September 2021 memo from the National Security Coordinator, Major General Francis Adu Amanfo (rtd), to the Chairman and heads of all regional, Metropolitan Municipal and District Security Councils, the forecast of violence was captured.

“There are indications of possible clashes ahead of the announcement of MMDCEs in part of the country. REGSEC, MUSEC, and DISEC are hereby urged to be on high alert to pre-empt breach of peace in the respective areas.”

In January 2021, Akufo-Addo directed all MMDCEs to remain at post until new ones were appointed. It has since been nine months since he won a second term in office.

The development has been a culture shock and led to concerns and the Akufo-Addo Jubilee House has given no tangible explanation at all. It is however speculated that the President took his time with these appointments in order to ensure that appointees are his loyalists in preparation to install his current Vice, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as his puppet for the party’s 2024 presidential ticket.