Assembly members in the Ejisu Municipality of the Ashanti Region have renewed calls for President John Dramani Mahama to remove Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) Jerryne Asante, expressing frustration over the lack of action on their grievances more than two months after a presidential committee was set up to investigate the matter.
The aggrieved assembly members said they had met the committee, chaired by Ashanti Regional Minister Dr Frank Amoakohene, and presented their concerns about the MCE, but no action had been taken.
They claim the delay has allowed Ms Asante to continue disregarding established procedures and undermining the municipality’s development.
In July, the assembly members attempted to pass a vote of no confidence in the MCE but were denied access to the assembly auditorium.
They have accused Ms Asante of misappropriating funds, disregarding assembly decisions and demonstrating inadequate knowledge of local governance, which they say has negatively affected development in Ejisu.
Speaking on behalf of the aggrieved members, George Kuntu Blankson, the assembly member for Kwamo, said all 28 elected assembly members had resolved that they could no longer work with the MCE.
“During our first press conference, we stated categorically that all the twenty-eight (28) elected Assembly Members had resolved that we would not be able to work with the Municipal Chief Executive in the person of Hon. Jerryne Asante. We gave an ultimatum of one week within which either she resigns, or the President replaces her with another person.
“We wish to place on record that a Presidential Committee was formed, chaired by the Hon. Regional Minister, to look into our issues, and we appreciate that effort.
“However, more than two months after our press conference, no action has been taken on it. This implies that both the MCE, Hon. Jerryne Asante and the President do not take the resolution of the Assembly Members seriously,” he said.
The assembly members have also accused the MCE of working with some municipal officials to misuse the assembly’s resources.
They cited the case of the Municipal Head of Works, Richard Omari-Safo, who they alleged issued a fake receipt to a resident applying for a building permit.
According to the assembly members, Mr Omari-Safo was summoned before the Public Relations and Complaints Committee (PRCC), where he admitted wrongdoing.
They further alleged that Principal Accountant Dennis Owusu Danquah, whom they described as an accomplice, had also been summoned before the committee to answer questions over his alleged role in the matter after signing the receipt.
The assembly members accused Ms Asante of continuing to work closely with the two officials despite the allegations.
They are demanding the immediate transfer of both Mr Omari-Safo and Mr Owusu Danquah from the Ejisu Municipality.
The assembly members stressed that their opposition to the MCE was not motivated by personal animosity but by concerns about her leadership and its impact on the municipality.
“We, the Assembly Members, do not have any personal hatred for Hon. Jerryne Asante. In fact, all of us have a very good personal relationship with her, and she will attest to this.
“However, her selfish personal interest, low competence level and her lack of respect for the decisions and the authority of the General Assembly are what we are against. It is negatively affecting the Municipality so much, and we can’t sit and watch the assembly in total disarray.
“That the authorities are being called upon to transfer the municipal Works Engineer, Mr Richard Omari Safo, and the Principal Accountant, Mr Dennis Owusu Danquah, from the Ejisu Municipality with immediate effect. We cannot continue to work with them any longer,” they said.
Mr Blankson, who speaks for the aggrieved assembly members, issued what he described as a final warning to the President and the MCE, saying they would consider their next course of action if their demands were ignored.
“This is the final notice that we are serving that we cannot work with the Municipal Chief Executive of the Ejisu Municipal Assembly, Hon. Jerryne. If this time round, she does not either resign, or the President continues to turn a deaf ear to our request, we will advise ourselves,” he said.