Weija Gbawe NPP Supporters  Angry At CoDA CEO, Jerry Ahmed Shaib-For engaging in diabolical political gimmicks against the sitting MP

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Coastal Development Authority (CoDA), Mr Jerry Ahmed Shaib has incurred the wrath of thousands of disgruntled members and supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Weija Gbawe Constituency of the Greater Accra Region.

PRESS STATEMENT FILED ON WEDNESDAY, 12TH APRIL, 2023 BY CONCERNED PARTY MEMBERS OF THE NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY IN WEIJA-GBAWE CONSTITUENCY AGAINST SOME MISCHEVIOUS ACTS ORCHESTRATED BY THE CEO OF THE COASTAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY - JERRY AHMED SHAIB 

   

A very good morning to our distinguished friends from the media, party members gathered here, ladies and gentlemen.  

We thank you the media and all present for honouring our invitation to this presser in your numbers despite the short notice.  

Distinguished men and women of the press, we wish to state without mincing words and place on records that Weija-Gbawe constituency, since 2004 has become a stronghold of the New Patriotic Party when it was part of then Weija Constituency and has remained same from 2012 even after the Electoral Commission of Ghana carved out the current Weija-Gbawe Constituency. 

Hence, we have invited you and your highly patronised medium to draw the hierarchy of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), both at the National and Regional levels to some diabolical and detrimental political gimmicks being played by Jerry Ahmed Shaib, the Chief Executive Officer of the Coastal Development Authority (CoDA) within Weija-Gbawe Constituency.  

This ongoing and unconventional style of politicking, we say is very despicable and breaking the unity, and peace we have enjoyed in Weija-Gbawe Constituency for the past decade.  More importantly, it also undermines the NPP rules and regulations governing Parliamentary Primaries, while at the same time undermines the workings of the sitting Member of Parliament (MP) as nomination has not been opened. 

Friends from the media, for the records, Weija-Gbawe is not an orphan Constituency, but a stronghold of the New Patriotic Party with a sitting Member of Parliament in the person of Hon. Tina Gifty Naa Ayeley Mensah, therefore the political strides made in the constituency cannot be toyed with. 

statistically in 2016, through the efforts of then Parliamentary candidate, Tina Gifty Naa Ayeley Mensah, Party Executives and our members, the NPP pulled a total of 36,803 votes representing 61.64% of the valid votes cast at the end of the Presidential Poll for then flagbearer Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, while then President John Dramani Mahama, candidate of the NDC in same election secured 22,398 votes representing 37.51% of the valid votes cast. 

On the other hand, our sitting Member of Parliament (MP), Hon. Tina Gifty Naa Ayeley Mensah who was a very formidable candidate then and still, pulled 34,216 votes at the end of polls, representing 57.29%, by flooring her closest contender; Madam Obuobia Darko-Opoku of the National Democratic Congress whose party was in government and had all the state apparatus at her disposal.

 She secured 25,087 votes representing 42.00% (a clear difference of 9,129 Parliamentary votes not to mention the upsurge in Presidential votes that contributed significantly in the NPP winning the 2016 elections which saw His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo become the President of Ghana).  

Ladies and gentlemen, an analysis of the performance of the Party in WeijaGbawe Constituency in 2016 shows clearly that our performance was far better than we did in 2012 in both Presidential and Parliamentary elections. 

Fast forward, in 2020, when the New Patriotic Party was seeking its second term bid, it presented the same candidate, Hon. Tina Gifty Naa Ayeley Mensah as its Parliamentary Candidate. She again together with the Party Executives, Municipal Chief Executive and all party members through dint of hard work were able to secure 46,875 votes representing 58.01%, of the valid votes cast, while the candidate of the NDC, Mr. Nii Ayaa Ayison pulled 32,218 votes to represent 39.09% of the total valid votes cast (here our vote margin increased astronomically again by 14,657).

This fantastic performance by the sitting Member of Parliament gave us the lead ahead of the NDC to retain the seat once more. 

For presidential, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo secured 48,133 votes representing 60.05% of total votes cast, while John Dramani Mahama of the NDC also secured 31,333 votes representing 39.05% of the valid votes cast. 

The 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary elections in Weija-Gbawe Constituency present a much better outlook compared to previous elections of the Party in the same constituency. For Parliamentary election, Hon. Tina Gifty Naa Ayeley Mensah obtained 14,657 votes difference ahead of the NDC Parliamentary Candidate. 

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo also obtained a votes margin of 16,800 ahead of John Dramani Mahama in the presidential election held in Weija-Gbawe constituency. 

Friends from the media, it is important to put the fact on record for constituents, party members, party hierarchy; regional and national levels and the public to come to terms with the issues at hand and also have a better understanding of the dynamics of Weija-Gbawe Constituency. 

In as much as the party in Weija-Gbawe constituency is opened up to democratic principles which allows free contest, we would not be in haste to endorse the candidate of any Tom, Dick and Harry. We will not sit unconcerned and watch the tenets of the Party’s Constitution to be side stepped, and the Constituency 

Executives disrespected by the actions of Jerry Ahmed Shaib, the Chief Executive Officer of the Coastal Development Authority. 

Ladies and gentlemen, Article 12 clause (7) of the NPP Constitution as amended on 17th December, 2017 states that: no party member shall be entitled to apply for nomination as the party’s parliamentary candidate for any constituency unless he or she (a) is a known and active member of at least two (2) years; (b) is a registered member or voter in the constituency in which he or she seeks to represent, provided that the constituency executive committee dispense with this requirement. 

To put on record, we state unequivocally that Jerry Ahmed Shaib who has until recently shown interest to contest the Parliamentary seat of Weija-Gbawe Constituency is not a known, active member of at least two (2) years nor a registered member or voter in Weija-Gbawe Constituency.  

To state fact again, Jerry Ahmed Shaib did cast his ballot in Ayawaso Central 

Constituency in the 2020 elections and was the Parliamentary Candidate of the NPP in Ablekuma South Constituency in 2016. 

Ladies and gentlemen, it will interest all to note that, he has not contributed towards the political fortunes or nurturing of the Weija-Gbawe Constituency since its inception in 2012 or even when it was part of then Weija Constituency. 

The sitting Member of Parliament, Hon. Tina Gifty Naa Ayeley Mensah, and majority of us seated here have contributed and sacrificed both in cash and kind towards the growth and fortunes of the party in Weija-Gbawe Constituency since 2012 to date. 

Our media friends, during the peak of the 2016 electioneering campaign, a critical campaign promise the Party and then Candidate Tina Gifty Naa Ayeley Mensah made to the teeming youth of the Constituency, especially those within the New Gbawe community was the Construction of an Astro Turf to unearth football talents and for recreational purpose. 

As such, it was a welcoming news when on Friday 2nd September 2022, a sod cutting ceremony was held for the construction of an Astro Turf at the New Gbawe Cluster of Schools within the New-Gbawe Electoral Area.

 The ceremony had in attendance the Chiefs and People of Gbawe and its environs as well as party supporters, but for some strange reasons best known to the CoDA CEO, the sitting Member of Parliament, Hon. Tina Gifty Naa Ayeley Mensah was not invited to be part of the sod cutting ceremony. 

This act was the beginning and one of a series of diabolical and despicable political events that has characterised our Constituency lately by Jerry Ahmed Shaib to the dismay of many Party Supporters as well as the Constituency Executive body which cannot be countenanced, considering the fact that the constituency is not orphan. 

The level at which he disrespects party hierarchy in Weija-Gbawe Constituency with impunity and without recourse to the NPP rules of engagement is however condemnable. 

To further demonstrate the level of gross disrespect exhibited by Jerry Ahmed Shaib in Weija-Gabwe, on Thursday 6th of April, 2023, he visited the Astro turf site to inspect work, and afterwards was seen and heard in a viral video footage stating that the Astro Turf project is his initiative, therefore no one by extension the sitting Member of Parliament, Hon. Tina Gifty Naa Ayeley Mensah, or the MCE for Weija-Gbawe Municipal Assembly, Hon. Patrick Kwesi Brako Kumor should lay claim of the said project. 

Ladies and gentlemen, the assertion by the CoDA CEO, Jerry Ahmed Shaib that he initiated the construction of the Astro turf in New-Gbawe Cluster of Schools in the New-Gbawe Electoral Area is a palpable lie which should be taken with a pinch of salt. To state fact, the sitting Member of Parliament, Hon. Tina Gifty Naa Ayeley Mensah wrote to the Coastal Development Authority (CoDA) through the Municipal Chief Executive for Weija-Gbawe Municipal Assembly, Hon. Patrick Kwesi Brako Kumor requesting part of the one million United States Dollars allocated to the constituency by Government to be used for the construction of the Astro turf. 

This request was not honoured due to the nonavailability of funds of the part of the Coastal Development Authority (CoDA). 

Friends of the media, for the records, the construction of the Astro turf in NewGbawe Cluster of Schools in the New Gbawe Electoral Area is a Private Partnership initiative between Oxygen Group of company and the Government of Ghana through Weija-Gbawe Municipal Assembly. 

The source document which is the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) does not in any way indicate that, the project is funded by the Coastal Development Authority CEO, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, instead the funding source of the project is from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). 

The company-Oxygen Group is expected to construct, operate and transfer the Astro turf after fifty (50) years, subjected to renewal of contract. 

We will therefore take this opportunity to thank the Chiefs and people of Gbawe for making the land through the Municipal Assembly available for the construction of the Astro turf and also thank the sitting member of Parliament, Hon. Tina Gifty Naa Ayeley Mensah and the Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Patrick Kwesi Brako Kumor for being the key guarantors or stakeholders for the construction of the Astro turf. 

Friends of the media, during the just ended 2022 X’mas season, the CoDA Chief Executive Officer, Jerry Ahmed Shaib met party members clandestinely and through nefarious means met polling station executives in all the 14 Electoral Areas in open meetings and presented X’mas card and an amount of GH¢200.00 to each polling station executive in an attempt to incite them against the sitting Member of Parliament, Hon. Tina Gifty Naa Ayeley Mensah and the 

Constituency Executive body. This lay credence to his level of disrespect to party hierarchy and principles of the party. 

Ladies and gentlemen, a notable event which destroyed the fabric of peace and unity in the constituency led by the same Jerry Ahmed Shaib occurred on Tuesday 28th February, 2023.

 To herald this day, the constituency executive body through its secretary received a letter from an NGO, named JAS Foundation communicating its intent to donate some 1,100 plastic chairs to the constituency executive body for onward distribution to the electoral areas for use during meetings by party members. 

On the eve of the donation of the purported 1,100 plastic chairs led Jerry Ahmed Shaib, a few of the plastic chairs totalling about fifty (50) were exhibited and donated to some constituency executives who received the plastic chairs on behalf of the entire constituency, but carried the plastic chairs away with the assurance that the total plastic chairs of 1,100 as purported will be handed over for further distribution to the electoral area meeting centres for use.  

This assurance was not honoured by Jerry Ahmed Shaib, rather he led some group of party members to distribute the plastic chairs to party members in their electoral areas without recourse the orders and involvement of the Constituency Executive body by calling their bluff.  

The distribution was not done in consultation with the Constituency Chairman and by extension the Executive Body. 

This act of disrespect is a threat to the fabric of peace and unity of Weiija-Gbawe Constituency. 

Friends from media, party fellows, constituents, members of the public, ladies and gentlemen, the enormous facts presented in this presser has enlightened all to know the level of gross disrespect shown by Jerry Ahmed Shaib, the CoDA CEO towards our Executives and by a large extent force his way into Weija-Gbawe, a Constituency in which he has not nurtured nor contributed a dime or kind to its unique electoral fortunes from its beginning to date. 

Ladies and gentlemen, the icing on the cake is how Jerry Ahmed Shaib, has paid and recruited some persons from other constituencies, secondly these recruits are 

not voters within the Weija Constituency and at the same time not Polling Station Executives of our noble Constituency to be singing his praises on social media and also insult as well as castigate the hardworking sitting Member of Parliament, Hon. Tina Mensah, Party Executives and other Opinion leaders just to score cheap political points and popularity. 

In conclusion, we strongly believe that these clandestine moves if not checked can derail the electoral fortunes of the party during the 2024 elections.

We are therefore by this presser appealing to the party hierarchy to call the CoDA CEO, Jerry Ahmed Shaib to order to forestall the peace and tranquillity that we have enjoyed in Weija-Gbawe Constituency which has largely contributed to the NPP’s successes at every election held over the years, so as to enable the sitting Member of Parliament, Hon. Tina Gifty Naa Ayeley Mensah, the Municipal Chief Executive Hon. Kwasi Brako Kumor, and Constituency Executives to have their peace of mind and operate as well as function effectively and deliver on their duties to the benefit of all and sundry. 

However, when reached by Soirreenews.com,  to respond to the allegations leveled against him, Mr Ahmed Shaib noted it is need for him to react to the matter.