Vetting has begun for 177 applicants for the Municipal and District Chief Executive (MDCEs) positions in the 33 municipal and district assemblies in the Eastern Region.

Out of the number, 14 are women including; four incumbent Chief Executives of Oda, Suhum, Ayensuano and New Juaben North, while the rest applied for the positions in Birim North, Birim South, Lower West Akim, Juaben South and Kade.

Upper West Akim has 13 applicants, being the highest followed by Lower Manya-Krobo and Lower West Akim with 11 applicants each, then Kade, Atiwa West and Ayensuano with nine and eight each respectively.

The aspirants included; almost all the 33 incumbent MDCEs who were being contested for the positions, with the exception of Okere, Akuapem South, Ofoase-Ayirebi and Atiwa East District Chief Executives who were sole applicants, all the others have multiple applicants.

The sole aspirants are; Mr Daniel Kenneth, Mr Kwabena Panin Nkansah, Mr Paul Asamoah and Mr Frank Aidoo, District Chief Executives for Okere, Atiwa East, Ofoase-Ayirebi and Akuapem South respectively.

The breakdown for the aspirants for all the 33 MDCEs are; Asene Manso Akroso five, Abuakwa North four, Abuakwa South five, Achiase four, Afram Plains North three, Afram Plains South three, Akuapem North three, Akwatia five, Asuogyaman five, Atiwa West eight, Ayensuano eight, Birim Central five, Birim North six, Birim South five, Fanteakwa North five, Fanteakwa South five, Kade nine and Kwahu East three.

The rest are; Kwahu South six, Kwahu West six, Lower Manga Krobo II, Lower West Akim II, New Juaben North five, New Juaben South four, Nsawam four, Suhum eight, Upper-Manya krobo seven, Upper West Akim 13 and Yilo Krobo seven aspirants.

Meanwhile, Mr Raymond Nana Damptey, Birim North District Chief Executive, told the GNA on Monday that he participated in the vetting on Sunday and it was successful.

Nana Damptey who is being opposed by some chiefs in the area was confident he had initiated and supervised several development projects in the district to warrant his re-appointment by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.