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12th May, 2010
Mahmood Khalid Dismissed As U.W. Regional Minister
Mr Mahmood Khalid has been dismissed as the Upper West Regional Minister.
A statement from the Presidency, signed by Mr J.K. Bebaako-Mensah, Secretary to the president, offered no reason except to say that Mr Mahmood’s dismissal “is with immediate effect.”
The statement said Mr Moses Mabenga, the Northern Regional Minister, is to oversee the administration of the Upper West Region until a substantive Minister is appointed.
When contacted, Mr Koku Anyidoho , Director of Communications at the Presidency, said reason was assigned to the minister’s dismissal.
In a related development, Matthew Ayoo reports from Wa that a group of supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Wa Municipality yesterday morning besieged the premises of the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) and broke open a box containing bid documents and carried away the documents which they burnt at the premises of the Regional Secretariat of the NDC.
A source at the RCC told the Times that the NDC youth who had information that the RCC would be opening tenders yesterday morning, invaded the premises on motor cycles at about 8.30am and went straight to the conference room and broke open the box containing the bid documents submitted by contractors and made away with them.
The source said the incident occurred when the Regional Minister was in his office.
According to the source, the police guard of the Regional Minister fired warning shots but that did not deter the irate youth from carrying out their mission.
It said the RCC called the police for help but they arrived rather too late.
The situation is normal and calm, but the RCC is under heavy security guard of joint team of police and the Airborne Force Detachment.
A Metro Television Reporter, Mustapha Susolow who was taking pictures of the incident was beaten by a security personnel and his camera taken way from him.
However, following the intervention of the Regional Minister, the camera was later released to the reporter.
Four people, including the Youth Organiser of the party, Mr Yahaya, have been arrested in connection with the incident and are helping the police in their investigations.
Efforts by the Times to get the police to throw more light on his incident proved futile as they were in a meeting with the Regional Chairman and Secretary of the NDC, the Wa Central Constituency Chairman and other executives of the party in connection with the incident.
Unconfirmed reports reaching the Times have it that at a meeting of party executives, the Regional Vice Chairman of the NDC, Alhaji Nator-Naa who is perceived to be supporting the Regional Minister, was heckled and insulted by a group opposed to the Minister.
The tyres of the party’s vehicle being used by him was deflated by the group who also ordered him to hand over the keys to the Regional Chairman and he obliged.
Early yesterday morning, another group believed to be in support of the Regional Minister, also marched to the house of the Regional Secretary of the NDC, Mr Eric Dakurah, and ordered him to hand over the keys of the party’s pick-up vehicle being used by him.
Information had it that the vehicle was driven to the police station and the keys handed over to the police.
Some executive members of the party called for the removal of the Regional Minister, accusing him of causing division among members of the party, awarding contracts to his favourites and members of the opposition New Patriotic party.
The Regional Minister, Mr Khalid, however vehemently denied their claims, describing them as false, malicious and calculated to tarnish his reputation.
A statement from the Presidency, signed by Mr J.K. Bebaako-Mensah, Secretary to the president, offered no reason except to say that Mr Mahmood’s dismissal “is with immediate effect.”
The statement said Mr Moses Mabenga, the Northern Regional Minister, is to oversee the administration of the Upper West Region until a substantive Minister is appointed.
When contacted, Mr Koku Anyidoho , Director of Communications at the Presidency, said reason was assigned to the minister’s dismissal.
In a related development, Matthew Ayoo reports from Wa that a group of supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Wa Municipality yesterday morning besieged the premises of the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) and broke open a box containing bid documents and carried away the documents which they burnt at the premises of the Regional Secretariat of the NDC.
A source at the RCC told the Times that the NDC youth who had information that the RCC would be opening tenders yesterday morning, invaded the premises on motor cycles at about 8.30am and went straight to the conference room and broke open the box containing the bid documents submitted by contractors and made away with them.
The source said the incident occurred when the Regional Minister was in his office.
According to the source, the police guard of the Regional Minister fired warning shots but that did not deter the irate youth from carrying out their mission.
It said the RCC called the police for help but they arrived rather too late.
The situation is normal and calm, but the RCC is under heavy security guard of joint team of police and the Airborne Force Detachment.
A Metro Television Reporter, Mustapha Susolow who was taking pictures of the incident was beaten by a security personnel and his camera taken way from him.
However, following the intervention of the Regional Minister, the camera was later released to the reporter.
Four people, including the Youth Organiser of the party, Mr Yahaya, have been arrested in connection with the incident and are helping the police in their investigations.
Efforts by the Times to get the police to throw more light on his incident proved futile as they were in a meeting with the Regional Chairman and Secretary of the NDC, the Wa Central Constituency Chairman and other executives of the party in connection with the incident.
Unconfirmed reports reaching the Times have it that at a meeting of party executives, the Regional Vice Chairman of the NDC, Alhaji Nator-Naa who is perceived to be supporting the Regional Minister, was heckled and insulted by a group opposed to the Minister.
The tyres of the party’s vehicle being used by him was deflated by the group who also ordered him to hand over the keys to the Regional Chairman and he obliged.
Early yesterday morning, another group believed to be in support of the Regional Minister, also marched to the house of the Regional Secretary of the NDC, Mr Eric Dakurah, and ordered him to hand over the keys of the party’s pick-up vehicle being used by him.
Information had it that the vehicle was driven to the police station and the keys handed over to the police.
Some executive members of the party called for the removal of the Regional Minister, accusing him of causing division among members of the party, awarding contracts to his favourites and members of the opposition New Patriotic party.
The Regional Minister, Mr Khalid, however vehemently denied their claims, describing them as false, malicious and calculated to tarnish his reputation.
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