I am ready for probe - KMA Chief Executive

Kumasi, July 29, GNA - Mr. Maxwell Kofi Jumah, the Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive, says he welcomes a probe into his administration because he had nothing to hide or fear.

A statement issued in Kumasi on Tuesday by the Public Relations Department of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) in reaction to publications by Mr E. Akuamoah-Boateng, chairman of the Asokwa Sub-Metro Council, calling for his resignation and a probe into his administration, said, however, that the call for the MCE's resignation was "a dream wish".


The statement said the KMA acknowledged and appreciated the deliberative, legislative and watchdog roles of assembly members because they are necessary for the promotion of accountability in the administration of the metropolis.


In spite of this, the assembly would, however, not countenance any unjustified attacks on the Metro Chief Executive, it added.


The statement described as false the accusation that the MCE has not executed a single physical project with funds from the Assembly's internally generated resources since he assumed office, saying the Metro Engineer's office would prove otherwise.


The statement catalogued a number of projects executed with internally generated revenue. They include the construction of a 240-feet metal footbridge to link Ahinsan to Atonsu, the construction of two classrooms, an office, kitchen and store at Patase, the construction of a four-unit classroom block and a toilet and the renovation of a six-classroom block at Emena.


This year the KMA is spending over 500 million cedis on the replacement, repairs and procurement for streetlights in the metropolis from internally generated revenue, it added.

The statement said over the past two years, the assembly spent about one billion cedis as payment of allowances on assembly sittings, while it spent over two billion cedis on fuel for waste management and administrative obligations from locally generated revenue. Currently, the assembly spends an average of 400 million cedis a month on fuel alone, principally for the evacuation of refuse in the city of Kumasi.


For the first time in many years, the statement noted, the electoral area of Mr Akuamoah-Boateng was virtually free from flooding and attributed this to dredging works on the Susan stream which was being maintained and operated at a huge cost to the assembly from its own resources.


"But for the judicious use of its internally generated funds for such interventions, Kumasi as a city would have grinded to a halt."


The Assembly, however, admitted that majority of its projects were funded by the European Union, Social Investment Fund (SIF), the District Assemblies common fund and other donor and government interventions. "Even Ghana, as a country, has close to 70 percent of its development budget supported by donors.


"This, not withstanding, it would be preposterous for anyone to downplay the input and initiative of the MCE and the assembly in the unprecedented number of roads, streetlights, schools and other projects being undertaken in Kumasi."


The statement said since his assumption of office, the MCE has adopted an aggressive lobbying strategy and presented forcefully the case of Kumasi at the least opportunity to every person of influence who has a say in the sharing of the national cake.

This greatly accounts for the numerous projects the assembly is now enjoying and a typical example is the on-going 4.2 billion cedis Kejetia streetlights projects.


It said there was no doubt that KMA's share of the common fund had risen substantially since Mr Jumah assumed office, due to improved performance by the assembly, especially in the area of local revenue generation.


"It is worth noting that from five billion cedis in 2000, the assembly's share of the common fund shot up to an unprecedented figure of over eleven billion cedis in 2003.


"Therefore, if more and more projects were being executed in the metropolis from the use of the fund, it would be fruitless to discount the contribution of the Chief Executive to this healthy development."


The statement said this was the last time it was going to respond to what it described as recycled, frivolous and scurrilous allegations from anybody as it had more pressing issues of land use practices, waste management and congestion among other problems to grapple with.