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The Eastern Regional Minister, Ms Helen Adjoa Ntoso, has said that government would not rely on petitions and complaints against Municipal and District Chief Executives (MDCEs) to fire or retain them. She said the MDCEs were going to be appointed on merit and not on any petition filed at the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) by disgruntled persons or supporters of the individual. Speaking at a maiden RCC meeting in Koforidua on Friday, Ms Ntoso said the RCC had received a lot of petitions against current MDCEs with regard to their re-appointments, from various groups. She cited an instance where a bus full load of people from a district came with a petition seeking the removal of the DCE but later at a meeting at the district none of them came out to back their petition but rather praised the DCE and asked for his retention. Ms Ntoso said the application, vetting and other procedures with respect to the appointments had been made already and that some of the MDCE's have been recommended to be re-appointed based on merit and were awaiting the final approval from the presidency. The meeting was called to enable the Regional Minister and her deputy, Ms Mavis Frimpong, to meet with all its stakeholders on developmental issues and particularly on illegal activities such as galamsey and lumbering. Ms Ntoso said the illegal mining situation in the region was very alarming and therefore all municipal and district assemblies should form a task force to check the practice. She said since the President had directed that people involved in the illegal mining be dealt with, any MDCE who flouted that order of not forming the task force would be dealt with ruthlessly by the RCC adding that it could even lead to his dismissal. She said the terms of reference for the task force, should include the enforcement of the rules and regulations regarding reclamation of lands by those who have been given the permission to mine on concessions in the region. Ms Ntoso urged the assemblies to provide logistical support to the military and police saying a standby force should be established to support the effort. She reminded heads of department and agencies that as technocrats they had the duty to assist government appointees to meet their targets within the limited time frame.