Ghana: KMA Boss Under Pressure

Sebastian R. Freiku

17 June 2011

Kumasi — The Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Mr. Samuel Sarpong, has come under intense pressure from some concerned members of the Assembly, reminding him of the dictates of the Local Government Act 462 of 1993, vis-a-vis his mandate.

He has been accused of divide-and-rule tactics in the running of the Assembly, for which the concerned members have cautioned him against diversionary tendencies, petty squabbles, in-fighting and witch hunting.

“It would do the Metro Chief Executive a world of good, if all diversionary tendencies, petty squabbling, in-fighting and witch hunting, coupled with divide-and-rule tactics, are consigned to the dustbins,” they warned.

About 14 signatories have raised concerns about the Mayor’s conduct in recent times, in which he is alleged to have used brute force to address trivial issues, in isolation of the structures that deal with matters concerning the workings of the Assembly.

They demanded an open door policy, where all and sundry are treated with decency, decorum, and equality, so that the developmental agenda of the Metropolis, for which they represent their respective areas at the assembly, would be achieved.

Their concerns are premised on the recent invasion of Kapital Radio premises by Mr. Sarpong and a team of armed policemen, in pursuit of Abraham Boadi, alias Opooman, an Assembly Member for the Ridge area, for allegedly speaking against the MCE on radio.

They deemed the said June 9, 2011 event as extremely embarrassing, unacceptable, and totally unnecessary.

The concerned assembly members, in a statement issued in Kumasi last Wednesday, June 15, 2011, cautioned the KMA boss to tread cautiously in the execution of his duties as MCE, because, “we are not in a military era.”

The KMA boss was reminded that calling in the police to invite an Assembly Member for questioning was against the norm and values of the Assembly concept.

The aggrieved assembly members also cited the scenario, in which Maxwell Ofosu Boakye was heckled by some appointed members of the Sub-Metro and Councilors during an orientation programme, under the nose of the Mayor, who looked on unconcerned.

According to them, the same Maxwell Ofosu Boakye had again been attacked in the full glare of the Mayor, who did not take any action.

The concerned assembly members have, as well, questioned the authority of the recent demolition exercise around Ahodwo Roundabout in Kumasi, and called for transparency and accountability in his dealings.

The signatories include Osei Sarfo Kantanka (Ohwimase electoral); Maxwell Ofosu Boakye (Abusua Kruwa), Eric Assibey (Kwadaso North), Alex Bediako (Agric), Umaru Il-yass Djagana (Fante New Town), Hafiz Alhassan (Akwatialine) and Kwaku Appiah (CPC).

The rest are Abraham Boadi (Ridge), Amidu Gariba (Anloga East), Abraham Amponsah (Kronum), George Owusu Ansah (Apatrapa), Labaran Bizo (Ayigya Zongo) and Cosmos Nkrumah (Taakwa-Anomangye).

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