Wassa chiefs lobby Prez; to appointment Mireku Duker Minister

The chiefs and people of the Wassa Fiase Traditional Area in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality of the western Region have appealed to the President, Nana Akufo-Addo, to consider a ministerial portfolio for the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, George Mireku Duker.

According to the chiefs, this was the period for their son to be considered for a ministerial portfolio in the second administration of the President. “We had wished Mireku Duker was given a ministerial portfolio in the first term of the President. But in the wisdom of the President that did not happen. We believe this is the time for Mireku Duker to be given a ministerial appointment in the second term of the President.”

Stating reasons why Mr Duker should be given a ministerial portfolio, the chiefs indicated that considering the mineral resources such as gold and timber which abound on their lands, it was important the President honoured the Wassa land by agreeing to their appeal to have Mireku Duker serve in his Cabinet in his second term.

“That aside, George Mireku Duker was the only MP who survived the mining tsunami that swept all incumbent MPs in the mining communities in the Western Region. The likes of Barbara Oteng Gyasi, MP for Prestea Huni-Valley, the MP for Wassa East, and the MP for Evalue-Gwira all lost their seats as a result of the war waged on illegal small-scale mining by the government.

But Mireku Duker managed to retain his seat despite the fact that all odds were against him to lose the seat, most particularly when an independent candidate from the camp of the NPP was among the aspirants. It is as a result of this that the people of Wassa land want their son, George Mireku Duker, considered for a ministerial appointment in the second term of the President,” they stated.

Speaking in a face-to-face interview at his palace, the Divisional Chief of Wassa Dompim, Ohyeawora Bian Nwiah Panyin IV, told this reporter it was the considered view of the chiefs and people of Wassa that their MP be considered for a ministerial portfolio.

“We are not only asking for a ministerial portfolio but a cabinet one, and as such, a Minister for Lands and Natural Resources for our son will be much appreciated.”

He said, considering that Mireku Duker was coming from a mining town, he was better placed to be considered for the position.

He also opined that Mireku Duker, having served as Vice Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Lands and Energy, had gathered much experience and knowledge to be considered as the substantive Minister for Lands and Natural Resources.

The Chief also added that considering the support the ruling government got from the chiefs and people of Wassa, the least the President could do to honour them was to consider their son for a Cabinet position.

“It is necessary and important for the President to appoint our son to Cabinet, looking at the contribution the chiefs and people of Wassa have offered this government.”

He said Duker, as a homeboy, was first to call for the regularisation of illegal mining, a policy which would regularise small scale mining. This policy, he said, was well explained to the hundreds of small-scale miners in his constituency, which was well understood, a reason he was able to retain his MP seat.

“We had many MP’s in the mining communities who lost their seats because they could not explain the policy well to the people. But Mireku Duker, on his part, performed magic by explaining the policy to the understanding of small-scale miners, which led to him retaining his seat as an MP.”

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