Opinions of Monday, 3 June 2013

Columnist: Weimah, Musah

Corruption and insecurity allegations in Bolgatanga

Youth demand removal of MCE By Musah Weimah

We, members of the progressive movement for 2016 “PROMOVE’’ wish to first of all congratulate his Excellency John Dramani Mahama on his election to the high office of the Republic of Ghana. We wish to assure His Excellency of our unflinching support in the delivery of the better Ghana agenda part II and it is our hope that the good people of Bolgatanga and the Region at large will benefit as it’s already being manifested.

Your Excellency, we wish to bring to your notice a gargantuan rumor making rounds in the Bolga Municipality that the Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Edward Ayiriba Ayagle has automatically been retained without going through the due process in the selection and appointment of MMDCs in the country. Mr. President we wish to make a passionate appeal to your good office to as a matter of urgency rescind your decision if the rumors making rounds are true and allow development oriented individuals of the party to make themselves available for the position.

Your Excellency, we are of the view that imposing the incumbent M.C.E Mr. Edward Ayiriba Ayagle without due process will have dire consequences on the party and the good people of the municipality due to the following reasons: Mr. Edward Ayiriba Ayagle is not a development oriented person. Ever since he assumed office in 2011, the municipality has not witnessed any development. The street lighting project left behind by his predecessor has not seen any extension as was originally planned. About three quarters of the existing street lights have broken down due to lack of maintenance since he assumed office leaving most parts of the city dark at night. Security in the Bolgatanga municipality has move from bad to worse: Bolga municipality which used to be very peaceful is now bedeviled with frequent shooting and snatching of motor bikes in the night and sometimes during broad day light. Your Excellency we are unable to do legitimate business for fear of our dear lives. The most terrible of all these is the fact that the municipal chief executive who is the chairman of DISEC is doing nothing about the deteriorating security situation in the municipality

Sanitation in the Bolga municipality has also gone worse since the Hon. M.C.E assumed office. At a time where conscious efforts were being made by government to green Ghana, the Hon. M.C.E decided sometime last year to clear the over forty – year old forest reserve behind the Bolga municipal assembly for his own selfish, parochial interest of two plots of land against the advice of the technocrats of the assembly. Your Excellency, corruption has become his main priority as the M.C.E accepted GH¢8, 500 from certain persons believed to be members of NPP assuring them of contracts. Reference can be made to both daily graphic and daily guide publication of 30th and 31st of January 2013.

The Hon. M.C.E is not just a unifier as was manifested in the recent election of a presiding member for the municipal assembly. As many as three members came out from the M C E own party to contest. Furthermore current constituency executive of the party are in to factions and this has trickled down to the youth groups within the party in the municipality. Most youth groups are at logger heads with the Hon. M C E. A case in point is the situation where Olikooko and Alaba youth (both are NDC youth groups in town) refused to have him on their campaign platforms during the 2012 election The Hon. M.C.E again stooped so low to the extent of assaulting the deputy constituency secretary of the party in full glare of the public. Your Excellency the Hon. M.C.E with other dignitaries were refused seats in his own native village of Azoribisi when they visited the area .He is not accessible to the youth of the party. Your Excellency the M.C.E is not a team player as he is not in good working relationship with most of the technocrats of the assembly. This does not auger well for the development of the Bolga municipality.

Your Excellency we wish to call your attention to these challenges the party is currently facing and urge that conscious efforts be made to remedy the situation by removing with immediate effect, the Hon. MCE of the Bolga municipality. We wish to further state that an even playing field be given to qualified, interested development oriented individual of the party in the selection of an M.C.E in the Bolga municipality.

We members of the progressive movement for 2016 “PROMOVE’’ wish to humbly call on your Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana to give a listening ear to the teeming and hardworking youth of the party . If the current M C E is imposed on us without due diligence we will advise ourselves accordingly to bring sanity to the Bolga municipality.

Musah Weimah

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