MN Chapter Leadership Appointed, Election Set For February

By Gibson W. Jerue

The Chairman of the National Board of Directors, Mr. Joseph Dueh, has appointed the Interim
Leadership Administration (ILA) of the Minnesota Chapter of the Grand Gedeh Association in the Americas (GGAA). Mr. Dusty Tarlue Kaine is the head of the ILA to bring sanity and ensure that free, fair and democratic elections are held in February of 2016.

Other officers and members of the Interim Leadership Administration are; Mr. Jerry Zeah, Vice Chairman, Mr. Brown O. Jayee, Secretary, Mrs. Edwina Taye-Willie, Treasurer and Mrs. Maria Tarlue-Kieta, Member. The body will take possession of properties of the Minnesota Chapter effective immediately. All members of the Interim body are said to have accepted their preferment.

In a letter, dated November 23, 2015, and addressed to Mr. Kaine and each member of the ILA, the Board said the term of the Interim Leadership Administration takes immediate “effect as of Monday, November 23 [2015] and ending no later than Sunday, February 28, 2016.”

The appointment of the ILA follows a Board mass meeting with majority of the board members unanimously voting to institute an interim body to steer the ship of affairs of the Minnesota Chapter and ensure that all parties participate in a free, fair and democratic elections. The board members overwhelmingly accepted the selection of members of the interim body during the meeting.

Mr. Dueh wrote, “Your appointment is based on a recommendation from the National Board of Directors following the conduct of a two-day thorough fact-finding investigation.” He added that the investigation was a result of a number of complaints surrounding the aborted September 27th electoral process within your chapter.

“This action is in line with my constitutional obligation to ensuring peace and sanity is restored within the Minnesota Chapter and all other chapters within the Grand Gedeh Association in the Americas (GGAA) Inc.,” Mr. Dueh noted, and added, “You have the full mandate of the National Leadership of the GGAA to provide temporary governance and take possession of all assets of the Minnesota Chapter…”

The Board has mandated Dusty Tarlue Kaine leadership to take possession of the Minnesota Chapter’s office located at 1710  Douglas Drive, Golden Valley, Minnesota, 55422, the Minnesota Chapter’s account(s) at the TCF Bank and/or any other banking institutions within the State of Minnesota, and ensuring a mass voters’ registration of all Members of the Minnesota Chapter of voting age who are willing to register and vote.

The ILA is also mandated to coordinate with the Independent Elections Commission in conducting free, fair, transparent, democratic elections for the Minnesota Chapter’s executive leadership and a lone seat on the Minnesota Chapter’s Board, and coordinate with the Independent Elections Commission to ensure the Minnesota Chapter’s elections are held under the GGAA National Constitution.

The appointment of an interim administration followed the breakdown of an electoral process in which the ad-hoc election commission headed by Barway Sluward Barway. The Minnesota election commission disqualified the entire Nyenon-Barlue team because the commission said the secretarial candidate of the team withdrew. the Barway commission declared Aggie Zarzar president without a single ballot cast.

A Board committee was sent to Minnesota. A meeting was held with the parties and an agreement was reached for election to be held. As the Board commission left Minnesota, the President of the Chapter (now former president with the appointment of an interim administration), Alec Deah turned over chapter properties to Aggie Zarzar, who has been spending the Chapter's money since then.

Grand Gedeans in Minnesota have welcomed the new interim administration and vowed to work with new team to ensure free, fair and democratic elections. "We will do everything to make them successful," former President Alex Barmon said.

The Tarnyon Nyenon team has embraced the appointment of the new interim body and said it will work with the interim body during the electoral process. "We wanted election, period," said presidential Candidate Tarnyon Nyenon, and added, "we respect the decision of the Board."