By: Nicholas Osei-Wusu
Members of the Mampong Municipal Assembly in the Ashanti region say the absence of a substantive Chief Executive is having a serious negative impact on every aspect of the municipality.
They identified in particular administrative lapses that could occasion corruption, inability of the Executive Committee of the Assembly to meet to push socio-economic development of the Municipality, inability of the Assembly to meet since the start of this year to take major decisions and the implications on human safety and security.
According to them, these already bad situations are likely to worsen if the vacant position of Municipal Chief Executive is not filled within the shortest possible time from now
They have therefore appealed to President John Mahama to, as a matter of urgency, nominate somebody for the consideration of the Assembly for the vacant position of the Municipal Chief Executive to address the leadership vacuum created.
The Assembly Members made the call at Mampong at a news conference.
Out of the 43 political metropolis, Municipalities and Districts in the Ashanti region, only two are without a substantive Chief Executive. These are Atwima Mponua and Mampong. All the remaining Districts have since March this year approved the President’s Nominees to provide political leadership in accordance with both the 1992 Constitution and the Local Government Act.
In the Mampong Municipality and Atwima Mponua district, the respective Coordinating Directors have been acting as the Chief Executives for more than three months now on the directive of the President following the revocation of the appointment of the MMDCEs who served during the previous government.
In the case of the Mampong Municipality, a violent public agitation by some members of the ruling NDC against a rumoured Nominee for the position, coupled with the sudden death and subsequent customary and traditional burial rite for the Paramount Chief, Daasebre Osei Bonsu, are being blamed for the delay in the nomination for the MCE position.
But, at a news conference at Mampong in the Ashanti region, the Assembly Members argued that, the President’s delay in nominating somebody for their consideration for the vacant position has already had major setbacks for the progress of the Municipality.
At a Press Conference at Mampong, the Assembly Members enumerated administrative paralysis, leadership vacuum, public safety concerns, economic development stagnation, governance and democratic deficits as some of the major setbacks being experienced.
The Convener of the Social Services Sub-Committee of the Municipal Assembly, Anthony Appiah, who is also the Member for the Bosofuor Electoral Area, spoke strongly about deteriorating sanitation and educational facilities as some of the serious concerns requiring a clear leadership for solution in the municipality.
“Waste management systems are collapsing due to lack of oversight, public health risks are escalating with uncollected garbage, drainage systems are clogged and unmaintained and market sanitation has reached crisis levels, affecting public health”, Mr. Appiah noted in a press statement.
He continued, “street lighting systems are non-functional across the municipality, public spaces are poorly maintained and unsafe, security infrastructure is inadequate and deteriorating while emergency response capabilities are severely limited.”
The Bosofuor Assembly Member said “the people of Mampong have suffered enough from this prolonged administrative vacuum. Seven months without substantive leadership is not only unconstitutional but also detrimental to the socio-economic development of our community. The negative effects outlined will only worsen if immediate action is not taken.”
The Presiding Member of the Assembly, Daniel Oduro, also the Member for Mampong New Town, assured that, the Assembly is prepared to readily scrutinize and fast track the approval process of any person Nominated by President Mahama in the interest of the socio-economic progress of the Mampong Municipality. This will however not mean the Assembly Members will not scrutinize the Nominee.
The Presiding Member expressed trust and confidence in the President to treat and act on the call with urgency in the socio-economic development and good governance of the Mampong Municipality.
Meanwhile, the Assembly Members are asking the government to freeze access to the Mampong Municipal Assembly’s share of the disbursed Common Fund until a substantive Chief Executive takes office to protect the money from any possible abuse.
