Members of the Ghana National Council of Metropolitan Chicago overwhelmingly endorsed and affirmed the incumbent President, Paa Kwasi Sam, by voting massively to retain him for three more years. Paa Kwasi Sam stood unopposed but had 12 affirmation votes, one no vote and one invalid vote.
The current treasurer of the council, Jeff Badu, also retained his position when he was re-elected unopposed. In an affirmation vote, he had all the 14 affirmation votes. Mr. Effa Ameyaw, popularly known as “kakape”, was also elected as sergeant-at-arms unopposed, with an affirmation vote of 14. Fourteen affiliate organizations constitute the GNC. Each organization has one vote. The elections were free and fair.
In short acceptance remarks, the President-elect, Paa Kwasi Sam, thanked the council members for the honor and confidence reposed in him. He also promised to unite the community and continue with the good works that have seen the council for the first time in its history, immensely impacted members of the community as a result of the GNC’s health fare and back to school programs. Financially the council has also had gains than all former administrations put together.
As part of reforming the council, he promised a constitutional review committee to look into areas of the current constitution for possible amendments. The President-elect also asked that members of the council be taken through an orientation program so that they can be familiar with the dos and don’ts as a council member. In conclusion, he explained that this is necessary since most members join the council without foreknowledge of the constitution of the GNC and the roles they are supposed to play.
The Vice-President, Kassim Abubakari, advised the council members that “as immigrants who are far away from home, we should be each other’s keeper”.” Let us show love not hatred to each other; ninety-nine per cent of the negatives about the council out there is untrue,” he refuted. He ended by advising that “problems are not resolved in public, that is on radio, television, etc.”. Reverend Dr. Kofi Noonoo swore the newly elected officials into office.
In an interesting development prior to the elections, the President of the chieftaincy council, Alhaji Issa Samori, came to the meeting and announced that he was the spokesperson for Mariam Issakka and threatened that if Mariam is not allowed to participate in the meeting, the meeting must be canceled. Members of the council, however, voted massively to continue with the meeting without Mariam.
This happened after personnel of the hotel had asked Mariam to leave because of an alleged previous incidence at the cafeteria which led to Mariam Issakka and the GNC Business Manager, Eunice Cromwell, both temporarily banned from attending events at the hotel cafeteria. After the GNC president announced the ban, Eunice did not show up at the meeting. Mariam Issakka, however, showed up and had to leave the premises after the Chicago Police intervened.
Another spectacle at the meeting was about a so-called one thousand six hundred dollars ($1600.00) payment made for security services by the council which has dominated the radio waves recently. The expenditure was explained by the treasurer, Jeff Badu to be Ghanafest 2018 payment for security services that was posted in January 2019, into the GNC account. Earlier the expenditure was erroneously alleged by others misreading the financial statement presented. Another remarkable occurrence was when a member of the electoral committee, Madam Korkor denied that the council had voted for elections to be held in December 2019.
In a stunning response, Akua Agyeman told the gathering that Korkor was wasting everyone’s time and asked Korkor, why she did not raise those concerns during the corrections of the minutes? A council member also threatened to sue www.sankofaonline.com for recording proceedings at the meeting to clarify contentious allegations against members of the council out in the community at a public meeting.
He was however noted to be recording members at the same meeting a few minutes earlier. These are some of the problems council members must deal with, bliss ignorance! Voting preceded peacefully after that. We would advise the council to seek an attorney to explain privacy laws to members as part of the proposed orientation program the Presodent=elect has proposed.
In our opinion, some of the problems at the council are the result of ignorance or intentionally generating problems to taint others and get them off their positions. At times issues raised by some members are legitimate but mostly procedural and should be addressed accordingly in good faith by all sides coming together; else this unnecessary bitterness at each other will unfortunately continue.
We were enamoured by the cordial and friendly nature members transacted business on the floor after the initial almost chaotic scene. If that show of togetherness and show of maturity are signs of change, then the community’s clamour for a peaceful and united council may be here to stay. We urge all council members to strive and work together for the benefit of themselves and the larger Ghanaian community.
