Pressure is mounted on the Municipal Chief Executive, Mrs. Justina Assan of Agona West in the Central region to humbly resign from her position else she faces impeachment.

The pressure emanates from public outcry on the MCE’s incompetence, abuse of power, injustice, misuse of office, breach of the procurement process in awarding contracts, conflict of interest, violation of the fundamental human rights, disrespect and bad human relationship.

Incompetence

The Assembly members have accused the MCE of incompetence with regards to her official duties as the MCE representing the government.

In an attached statement of claim to a resolution for an impeachment and vote of no confidence which has been signed by 26 members out of about 40 members of both elected and appointees, intercepted by the media, the aggrieved Assembly Members accused the MCE as sluggish-to wit “the Municipal Chief Executive virtually does nothing in the office to address the numerous pressing issues affecting the municipality apart from turning her official office into a corridor of trivialities such as her personal matters, nattering, ill-motivated conversations and roguish tactics to undermine other members of the municipality.”

They again raised the issue of no community engagement contrary to Section 88(1) of Local Governance Act, 2016, Act 936 which states that “A District Planning Authority shall conduct a public hearing on a proposed District Development Plan and shall consider the views expressed at the hearing before the adoption of the proposed District Development Plan”.

“Our MCE has failed to heed even upon a series of advice to engage the communities. To wit, the MCE does not know the issues emanating from the implementation of various government policies such the Free SHS, Double-Tracks system, planting for food and job program, NABCO, LEAP, School Feeding, sanitation, etc thus, her inaction and ineffectiveness has distanced the activities of Assembly from the people and communities.

As a result, the municipality is facing a whole lot of implementation problems. This, we see it as a clear show of incompetent

Revenue Decline

Her incompetence in leadership has led to a serious revenue declined as compared to the track records of the Assembly and even that of other District Assemblies in the Central Region.

The Assembly as at the end of the third quarter in 2018 did achieve only 49% of its revenue target as against 75-80% in the previous years. Hence, the Agona West Municipal Assembly is becoming one of the poorest in the country in spite of its numerous potentials and opportunities.

Her incompetence has led to salary arrears of over five months of revenue collectors and other workers of the Assembly who have threatened to go on strike. Financial assistance to students and underprivileged isn’t forthcoming despite numerous applicants, the statement said.

They have also accused her of negligence and unconcerned for watching the demolition of two public toilets in Swedru main car station which is causing a lot of open defecation in and around the station.

“Her incompetence led to the demolition of vast cocoa farms and food crops in Agona Otsenkrang for oil palm plantation resulting in insecurity and famine.

Unbudgeted Program

The MCE, without any budget approval held an awards program for the Assembly staff by spending unapproved amount of GHC 120, 000.00 (1.2 billion old cedis) which is above her threshold from the Assembly’s little revenue meanwhile there are other pressing issues such as Swedru School of Business in dire need of a common bathroom houses at girls’ dormitories.

Procurement Breach and conflict of interest

The aggrieved Assembly members opine that the MCE, without following the procurement law awarded a contract of about Ghc 175,000.00 which is above her threshold as an entity head according to PPA Act to renovate her resident, thus forcing the Assembly to the deliberately breaking bulb to circumvent the law.

That the Assembly is unable to defray the cost of the renovation due to lack of proper documents. Again, the MCE was caught in a conflict of interest situation by covertly awarding contracts (Mainly supplies) to her own company she registered using her personal aide’s wife’s name.

“MCE has registered a sole proprietorship company using her Aide’s wife named as the owner and have been awarding contracts to her without following procurement process”. This obviously undermines the effort of the President in fighting corruption.

Disrespect, Arrogant and bad interpersonal relationship

Among many accusations, the MCE is being accused of disrespect and arrogant.

“The MCE keeps disrespecting members of the Assembly by sidelining almost all the Assembly Members.

The MCE is fighting and also not in talking terms with many of the Assembly Members. Due to her ill interpersonal relationship with many members of the Assembly, she has been advocating for the removal of all the other government appointees.

The MCE raises insults and abusive words on anybody with little or no provocation. She does not respect even people above her age. Contrary to her subtle public face, she is rude and very snobbish.

The MCE’s favourite words in any little disagreement are “nkwasias3m (foolishness), imagine such a person! leave them, I am not accountable to anybody except the president, they can go to hell”.

We find this attitude as a sign of disrespect, show of power, uncooperative, uncivilized and abrasive.”

They further accused her of injustice and abuse of power, creating impasses with the local contractors by demanding bribes before payment of contracts and causing division in the assembly.