ABDALLAH JONATHAN SALIFU, UPPER EAST REGIONAL COMMUNICATION OFFICER
ABDALLAH JONATHAN SALIFU, UPPER EAST REGIONAL COMMUNICATION OFFICER

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Upper East Region has dismissed as fake a list of persons said to be nominees approved for appointment as Municipal and District Chief Executives of the 15 assemblies in the region.

A statement making rounds particularly on social media purports that the “Regional and Constituency stakeholders” have settled on persons to be appointed as Chief Executives of the 15 district and municipal assemblies in the region.

The statement, supposedly signed by the Regional Chairman of the governing party Alhaji Mumuni Abdullah Bolnaba and the Regional Secretary and Regional Minister Donatus Akamugri, listed candidates it said are final  picks for appointment as heads of each of the assemblies.

It, however, indicated that the “stakeholders” did not come to a final decision with regards to two districts – Bolgatanga East and Nabdam – but have rather submitted 3 shortlisted candidates each for the final decision to be made by “National”.

But speaking to Dreamz News on Friday, March 14, 2025, the Regional Communication Officer of NDC Abdallah Johnathan Salifu said his checks shows that the two regional executives, who are supposedly signatories to the statement, have no acknowledge of such a list and have dismissed it as fake.

“My checks from the Regional Chairman and the Regional Secretary and the Regional Minister is that the list is a cooked one, they did not sanction anything like that. So they are asking us to disregard it and see it as a fake letter,” he stated.

He explained that the Regional leadership’s role in the selection process is to trim the number of applicants down to, at least, 3 for further assessment at the national level and does not include making final determination for appointment.

He indicated that although the regional level assessment has been completed and the list of shortlisted candidates submitted to Accra, the process at the national level for candidates from the Upper East Region has yet to take place.

“The reason why the list should even be in doubt is that the process for selecting a MDCE has not been exhausted yet.”

He continued, “after that vetting (at the regional level) the people (shortlisted candidates) are supposed to go for the national vetting . And other regions have had their selected candidates attend this national vetting.

We are hopeful that, maybe, by next week, the Upper East Region will also be invited”.

Aside from the further screening by a vetting committee in Accra, which has yet to be conducted, he added that there is supposed to be a background probe of each of the shortlisted candidates by national security and findings presenting to the decision-making authority before the final determinations will be made.