Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) Kojo Bonsu has threatened to sack all city guards for dereliction of duty and bribe taking leading to congestion in the garden city.
The mayor said it has come to his notice that the city guards take bribes to allow violations of the assembly’s bylaws and that the level of indiscipline among the guards was intolerable and it has come to the point where they must be disciplined.
Speaking in an emergency meeting with the guards, the mayor said “I am a good man to sack all of you and I can sack all of you and replace you today”.
He has ordered that the over 200 city guards be served with warning letters and made to go through fresh fitness training and tests in the coming weeks.
Mr Bonsu said those who fail the fitness training or are not fit enough to continue with the job will be sacked to make sure that the right thing is done.
“Those who do not pass the fitness test will be sacked, it is better to sack you than to keep you and cause problems for the assembly”.
He accused the guards of blatantly allowing market women to sell on pavements when they are not supposed to and have refused to ensure sanity on the roads.
He said he has taken the decision to make them go through the fitness test or fire them because they are the people who are supposed to enforce the law and because they have failed he has no choice but to ensure that he right thing is done.
According to him, if he fails to stamp his authority he could also be sacked by the president and in order not to be sacked he will rather ensure that they do their job.
However in their response, the city guards blamed the police for thwarting their efforts by constantly pleading anytime arrests are made.
Some of them admitted to taking bribes from people but blamed it on their poor salary which they say is not able to cater for them and their families.
They however, pleaded with the mayor to spare them and promised to execute their duties more effectively.
Speaking on Joy FMs NewsNite, Public relations Officer for the mayor Samuel Gyamfi said the mayor is disgusted at what is going on and has on several occasions cautioned them but the guards have refused to listen.
He said the mayor and the assembly will be considering a new salary structure for the guards but said it was unacceptable for them to engage in illegalities when they were fully aware of the conditions of service before they agreed to take the job.
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