The former Metropolitan Chief Executive for Sekondi-Takoradi, Mr. Kobina Prah-Annan, has threatened to eject two magistrate court judges in Takoradi who are living in his house.
Information available to The Chronicle indicates that the two judges – Justices Offedie and Addington were given accommodation in 2010 by the former Mayor for undisclosed sums of money, which were borne by the metropolitan assembly. This reporter gathered that it is the duty of the assembly to provide accommodation for the judges but since there was no available accommodation at that time, the then Mayor decided to rent out his house to the judges, at the expense of the assembly.
Mr. Prah Annan was booted out from office in 2010 but instead of his predecessor, Captain Anthony Cudjoe to continue with the agreement by paying the rent, he is reportedly dragging his feet.
This conduct has incensed the former Mayor who is threatening to sack the judges from his house if the GH¢5000 rent the assembly owed him was not paid. Mr. Prah Annan confirmed the story when The Chronicle contacted him.
According to him, the tenancy agreement had expired but the assembly seemed not prepared to renew it even though the judges are still occupying his house.
According to Prah he personally wrote a letter to the Mayor informing him about the expiration of the tenancy agreement between him and the assembly to which he responded that they were doing the paper work to raise funds to pay him.
Unfortunately, he said, the assembly failed to honour its word as it has still not renewed the tenancy agreement, which expired in December last year.
Giving background to the story, Kobina Pra Annan said the two judges were facing serious accommodation problem so he intervened by making available his house for them to live in. He then entered into agreement with the assembly to pay him the rent after he had invited the Rent Control Office to access the chargeable rent for the house.
The Registrar of the Magistrate Court, Mrs. Genevieve Baiden confirmed that the two Judges were facing ejection when this reporter contacted her.
According to her, the Judicial Service was waiting for the metropolitan assembly to officially write to them whether they would renew the tenancy agreement or not.
Mrs. Baiden further told The Chronicle that it has always been the tradition for the assembly to provide accommodation for the judges.
But speaking in an interview he granted The Chronicle, Captain Anthony Cudjoe, the Mayor of Sekondi-Takoradi denied the registrar’s claim insisting that he had not come across any bye law of the assembly, which mandates them to provide accommodation for judges.
Again contrary to the position of Annan Prah that there was agreement between him and the assembly regarding the rent, Cudjoe told this reporter that he did not know the condition under which his predecessor gave out the accommodation.
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