Group Vows To Oust Kumasi Mayor

A SECTION of members of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMAS) has renewed its resolve to expose alleged maladministration of the mayor of Kumasi, Hon. Kojo Bonsu. The group intends to convene a meeting involving one third of the assembly members to pass a vote of no confidence in the metro chief executive in conformity with Part 2, Section 4 (b) of the KMA Model Standing Orders and Section 20, Sub-section 4 (a) of the Local Government Act 462 of 1993. Honourable Maxwell Ofosu Boakye, assemblyman for Abusuakuruwa Electoral Area, addressing a press conference indicated that the group of concerned assembly members intended to drag the mayor before the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament or the law courts to compel him to account for his stewardship at the appropriate time when the required number of signatories had been obtained. Their position, according to Hon. Boakye, follows earlier initiatives in the form of petitions to the Presidency, Manhyia Palace and the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO). He says their resolve is irrevocable as long as the mayor maintains his alleged recalcitrant stance and defiant posture in relegating the decisions and policies of the assembly to the background and continues to do things his own way. Hon. Boakye indicated that a planned meeting of the assembly for the purposes of passing a vote of no confidence earlier had been suspended because prominent personalities including the Regional Minister and some Members of Parliament had intervened as the mandatory period of seven working days for the said meeting approached. The spokesman for the group alleged that all contractual awards and agreement were being carried out unilaterally by the mayor with the connivance of some key actors and departmental heads and without the approval of the general assembly. Hon. Boakye cited the award of contracts under the Urban Development Grant (UDG) and Ghana Urban Management Projects (GUMPs) and referred to provisions of the Procurement Act 633 and the Local Government Act 462 to buttress his point. Hon. Boakye said the three market projects at Atonsu, Asawase and Tafo under GUMP had allegedly been awarded on contract to companies and firms of close allies of the mayor without the approval of the assembly. The spokesman expressed disappointment at the Ministry of Local Government, since it appeared that the sector ministry was dancing to the tune of the mayor, contrary to the established statutes in the execution of UDG and GUMP projects. When contacted, the special assistant to the KMA boss, Mr Sammy Gyamfi, dismissed the allegations and noted that he and his boss were not ready in wasting their precious times on what he described as� untruths�. He said the KMA was focused to provide butter and bread for the people in the municipality. He punched holes in the myriad of allegations and said perhaps the accusers of the mayor had been ill-advised. According to him, some of projects being mentioned had been awarded on contract before Kojo Bonsu assumed office.