Majority of assembly members of the Agona West Municipal Assembly (AWMA) have disassociated themselves from attempts by few of their colleagues to remove Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) from office.
They have therefore described a recent press release by their colleagues against the MCE as unfounded and mischievous and intended to disgrace and tarnish the image of the MCE who happens to be the first woman MCE for the municipality.
The angry assembly members in their statement advised the MCE to resign or get impeached.
In a strongly-worded statement, they accused the MCE of incompetence, abuse of power, injustice, misuse of office, breach of the procurement process in awarding contracts, disrespect and bad human relationship, among others.
Rebuttal
Addressing a press conference to respond to the disgruntled assembly members in Agona Swedru last Monday, Mr Frank Yeboah, the spokesperson for the majority of the assembly members said that the MCE had not in any way, displayed incompetence as touted by the angry assembly members.
“How can an incompetent MCE, in her quest to ameliorate the issue of lack of potable drinking water to remote communities through her lobbying skills, manage to attract the Qatari Government to drill over 20 mechanised boreholes for some far-to-reach areas in the municipality,” he quizzed.
Mr Yeboah noted that the MCE’s move has helped to increase the coverage of potable water in the entire municipality, which is highly commendable, saying that under her leadership the municipality was adjudged the best district in the region in the sanitation category during the maiden awards ceremony instituted by Mr Kwamena Duncan, the Central Regional Minister.
He added that the MCE, upon assumption of office, indicated her resolve to operate an open door administration, which would enable her to receive everyone irrespective of one’s race, political or religious affiliations.
“We believe that the MCE’s decision to receive chiefs, opinion leaders, party and non-party supporters is not out of place to warrant her removal from office,” he said.
He noted that the angry assembly members must be reminded that the office of the MCE is a public office, asking when it became a crime for an MCE to receive chiefs, opinion leaders and the likes to the extent of it resulting in their removal from office.
Public engagement
Mr Yeboah, who is also the assembly member for Lower Bobikuma, noted that apart from the MCE receiving members of the public in her office, she has visited communities to interact with the people to take into consideration their needs for the necessary actions to be taken.
He mentioned that the MCE, since her assumption of office, has organised several stakeholders’ meetings in many communities such as Bobikuma, Abodom, Agona Swedru, among others, ostensibly to touch base with the local people.
Revenue decline
Responding to the concerns about revenue shortfall, Mr Yeboah pointed out that the assembly has, for the past years, recorded low revenue between the first and third quarters annually but these improved at the fourth quarter.
He stressed that “it should be placed on record that it was under her able leadership in the year 2017 that the assembly recorded a huge increase in revenue collected in terms of absolute figures since 2015.
Challenging the total amount used for the staff awards ceremony, he indicated that the budgeted amount was rather GH₵32,000.00 and not GH₵120,000.00 as was alleged by the aggrieved assembly members.
“An amount of GH₵20,000.00 was from the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) and the additional GH₵12,000.00 sourced from IGF which is not beyond the MCE’s threshold,” he noted.
He pointed out the actual amount spent on the award ceremony was GH₵19,097.00 which is not beyond the MCE’s threshold.
He pointed out that the assembly members have not made any such claims against the MCE and that it was an agenda by a few of the members who have made it their habit to always seek MCE’s appointed for the municipality for their personal gain.
“We affirm our unflinching support to the MCE and charge her to discharge her duties diligently towards developing Agona West and making it one of the best in the region and beyond,” he added.