Still embroiled in a ? 1.2 billion financial scandal over the award of contracts, the Tema Municipal Assembly (TMA) boss, is once again caught up in yet another controversy. This time, he is involved in a saga with the only paramountcy in the municipality, the Kpone Executive Council (KTC).
The KTC has bared its teeth at the TMA Chief Executive, Mr Evans Ashong Narh over the appointment of government nominees to the assembly. In a strongly worded letter signed by Nii Tetteh Out II, paramount chief of Kpone and president of the KTC, which was addressed to the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, the chief accused Mr Narh of refusing to recognize his authority.
Nii Out further accused the TMA Boss of acting contrary to the local government act 462 of 1993 by not formally consulting the council before nominating the government appointees to the assembly.
According to Nii Out, members of the KTC, including himself were only invited to attend the inauguration of the assembly. Act 462, sub-section 5(1) stated among others that chiefs and opinion leaders in a locality should be consulted during the submission of names of government appointees to the various district assemblies in the country.
Ni Out, therefore, appealed to the Minster to use his good offices to bear upon the Municipal Assembly to at least, have some recognition for the Kpone paramountcy.
“The Evening News” investigations have revealed that there had been bad blood between the TMA and KTC since Mr Narh assumed office as chief executive. The problem, it is said, began when the chief executive slighted the council in the nomination of government appointees during the short term of the previous assembly.
Nii Out, who not take the matter lightly, wrote a protest letter to the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, dated 29 March 2001 in which he complained about the behaviour of Mr Narh.
After the expiry of the last assembly, the same issue has cropped up again. Further investigations by this paper revealed that the chief’s absence from the inaugural ceremony of the assembly on 16 September was a form of protest against the TMA’s attitude towards him.
