The dismissed Upper West Regional Minister, Mr Mahmoud Khalid, says he was neither surprised by, nor sad about his dismissal. He said he had anticipated it the very day he was appointed and that he had taken the sack in his stride. A statement signed by Mr Bebaako-Mensah, Secretary to President Mills, dismissed Mr Khalid with immediate effect. No reasons were assigned for the regional minister’s sack. The dismissal followed a riotous action by supporters of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Wa who Tuesday morning scuttled a scheduled bidding process for contracts, snatched the bidding documents and burnt them. Some arrests were made in connection with the disturbances. Some Upper West Regional Executives of the NDC have hailed the decision of the President to sack the minister. The executives last month petitioned the president to sack Mr Khalid as a result of some protracted disagreements they have had with him. The Regional Secretary of the NDC, Mr Eric Dakora, told Joy News he was particularly happy about the dismissal because it will bring peace to the region – something that has been missing during Mr Khalid’s reign, he alleged. He claims the sacked minister’s intransigence and unilateralism had created an unhealthy rift between the Regional Co-ordinating Council and the party. That, for him, did not allow for a smooth working relationship between the two but which was crucial for the development of the region. Mr Dakora commended President J.E.A. Mills for listening to the pleas of the regional executive of the party. Mr Khalid on his part was grateful to the president for giving him the opportunity to serve his people. He said he had served faithfully and brought unprecedented development to region. On the allegations levelled against him, Mr Khalid said he was happy that no adverse findings had been made against him and that he would allow time to exonerate him. Play the attached audio for excerpts of the interviews with Messrs Khalid and Dakora. Story by Malik Abass Daabu/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana