Following the expiration of the tenure of the Chief Executives of the 216 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and impending appointments by the President to replace them, hundreds of interested persons have applied to take up the positions.

In the Ashanti Region, 263 aspirants are vying for the position.

Already, the Regional Vetting Committee, chaired by the Regional Minister, has invited all the applicants to a vetting at the Regional Coordinating Council.

For the position of the Chief Executive for the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), nine aspirants are contesting.

They include Osei Assibey Antwi, current acting Chief Executive, Sam Pyne, Ashanti Regional Secretary of the New Patriotic Party, Collins Owusu Amankwa, former Member of Parliament (MP), Manhyia North, Kennedy Kankam, former MP Nhyiaeso, Kusi Boafo Thomas, Chief Executive Officer for Public Sector Reforms, Atta Poku, Kumasi Metro Urban Roads Director, Kofi Senva, former Presiding Member for KMA and Kofi Owusu-Boateng, former secretary to the Asantehene.

All applicants have been urged to go along with original certificates and copies of other relevant documents.

David O. Yarboi-Tetteh, reports from Cape Coast that 181 individuals have applied to be Chief Executives of the 22 MMDAs in the Central Region.

The Asikuma Odoben Brakwa District had the highest number of 22 applicants; Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly has 18 applicants while seven persons filed for the Effutu Municipality.

Those who applied for the Upper Denkyira East Municipal Chief Executive position are 10, Upper Denkyira West District, nine, Gomoa East District, 10, Ajumako Enyan Essiam District and Mfantseman Municipal, both have 12 while the Ekumfi District, have nine aspirants.

Ten persons applied for the Awutu Senya West District seat, Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) saw five applicants, Awutu Senya East Municipality, three, Abura Asebu-Kwamankese have eight, Twifo/AttiMorkwa, 13 while Gomoa Central District has three.

Agona East have six applicants, Gomoa West District, nine, Assin South, four, Twifo Hemang Lower Denkyira, three, Assin Fosu has three, Gomoa West District also saw three applications while five people also applied to be considered in the Assin North District.

From Tamale, Yakulm Abdul-Majeed, reports that 200 people have applied and were bring vetted for the 15 assemblies in the Northern Region. However, three out of 15 incumbent MMDCEs have declined to contest their positions.

They included Musah Superior, Tamale Metropolis, Iddrisu Marian, Sangnarigu and Alhaji Abdulai Hasihm for Mion, Sangnarigu Municipal Assembly has the highest numbers of applicants with 33 while Zabzugu has only three people vying for the position.

The applicants with copious supporters and sympathizers besieged the premises of the Northern Regional Coordinating Council where vetting took place. The applicants in the past weeks and days have horded homes of Chiefs, Mallams, Pastors and opinion leaders within the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in order to be favoured.

Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shaibu, Northern Regional Minister, who was shocked by the huge number of applicants, cautioned them to conduct themselves well.

He indicated that only competent and committed persons would be recommended for the positions. He emphasized that President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo has a lot to achieve in this second term and only hardworking persons would be given the nod. The Northern Regional Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Alhaji Alhassan Sibdow Yakubu indicated that four applicants would be shortlisted in the areas where the incumbent DCEs were seeking re-appointment and three in the Assemblies where the incumbents were not contesting.

In the Western Region, Clement Adzei-Boye, reports from Sekondi, that the vetting of 66 applicants for MMCDEs ended on Friday, at the Western Regional Coordination Council (RCC).

The applicants, during the interviews, presented their certificates and other relevant documents to the five-member committee, chaired by the Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah.

According to a release from the committee, Amenfi East topped the list of applicants with 10 candidates, Amenfi Central, nine, Nzema East, eight, Amenfi West and Ellembelle, seven each, Jomoro, six, Ahanta West, five. Tarkwa -Nsuaem, Shama and Wassa East, three each, Mpohor and Prestea Huni Valley, two and Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) and Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipal Assembly (EKMA) one each.

Daniel Dzinsah reports from Sunyani, that in the Bono Region, 114 individuals have submitted that application to be appointed to head the 12 MMDAs in the region.

Vetting of applicants started last week Monday and as expected to be concluded over the weekend.

While some watchers say the number of applicants was on the high side, others were of the view that the situation would offer fair competition among the applicants and only the best candidate could be selected for the position.

David Owusu Ansah, a political analyst, observed in an interview that there was absolutely nothing wrong with the number because it would afford the appointing authority the opportunity to select from a wide range of human resource for the benefit of the people.

The Bono Regional Director of Communications for the NPP, Asare-Bediako Seth, speaking to the media, said there was no cause to worry about the “seemingly large number of people who have expressed interest in these positions.”

“All the applicants are very competent to occupy the positions, but only one person will be finally chosen for each district. What’s important is that at the end of the day the President would settle on the competent and hardworking ones to help him realize his vision and aspirations,” he added.

Tain District has the highest number of contestants with as many as 15 individuals followed by the Jaman South District where 14 persons were also vying for the position.

Meanwhile, Jaman North have 12 aspirants, Dormaa West, seven, Dormaa Central, five, Dormaa East, four, Banda, 11, Sunyani Municipal, six, Sunyani West, seven, Berekum East 10, Berekum West, eight while Wenchi have five.

One of the identified hotspots is the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive position, which until recently was being held by the current Bono Regional Minister, Justine Owusu Banahene.

The Sunyani East NPP Constituency Chairman, Frank Musah Damtarl, together with the Constituency Secretary, Ansu Kumi are in the race together with the Spokesperson and Special Aide to the Regional Minister, Clement Bonsu.

Also in the race for the same position are Dr Kafi Bobi Barimah, the Acting Executive of the Centre for Plant Research and two others namely Frank Opoku Adjapong and Kwaku Antwi-Agyei.

Mr. Alex Ofori, a senior lecturer of the Sunyani Technical University, who is one of the main contenders for the Tain District told the Ghanaian Times that he was very hopeful the President would pick him over the others owing to his longstanding loyalty and immense contributions toward the party over the years.

From Ho, Alberto Mario Noretti, reports that some 146 aspirants have applied for the positions in the 18 municipalities and districts in the region. As at yesterday, the Ghanaian Times gathered that the interview process was still ongoing behind closed doors at the Ho Residency.

This reporter learnt that the five-member interviewing panel was made up of representatives of the Chief of Staff at the Presidency, Regional Executive of the New Patriotic Party and the Volta Regional Coordinating Council and NASARA (national).

As at Thursday, 36 hopefuls had been interviewed.

27 of them were quizzed on Wednesday and 38 faced the panel on Saturday.

About 45 applicants were expected to appear before, the panel yesterday [Sunday].

There were between eight and 12 applicants from some municipalities and districts while some areas produced between four and eight applicants.

The municipalities and districts are Ho, Hohoe, Ketu North. Ketu South, Kpando and Keta.

Others include Adaklu, Afadjato South, Agotime-Ziope, Akatsi North, South Dayi and Anlo.

The rest are Akatsi South, Central Tongu, Ho West, North Dayi, North Tongu, and South Tongu.

The Ghanaian Times gathered that about 177 persons have applied to head the 32 MMDAs in the Eastern Region. In the Upper East Region, Samuel Akapule reports that 230 persons have applied to be appointed by the President as Chief Executives for the 15 MMDAs in the region.

They include Pusiga with 16 applicants, Tempane 17, Garu, 20, Bawku, 20, Bawku West, 16, Binduri, 23 and Nabdam, seven.

The rest are Talensi, 15. Bolga East, 12, Bolgatanga Municipal, 10, Kasena Nankana Municipal, 18, Kassena Nankana West, 16, Builsa South, 9, Builsa North, 14 and Bongo, 17.

Those in the race include the former MCE of Kassena-Nankana Municipal, Mr Emmanuel Aduum and former DCE for Bolga East, Emmanuel Abole.