Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) has refuted allegations made by Mrs Naa Torshie Addo, Member of Parliament (MP) for Tema West, that it high-jacked the construction of a modern Mortuary for the Tema General Hospital (TGH) which is her brain-child project.
In a statement issued by the Assembly, the TMA stated that the Tema West MP was alleged to have said on a number of radio stations in Accra and Tema that the construction of the Mortuary at TGH was her brain-child.
The statement further said “she strangely accuses the TMA of high-jacking her ‘project,’ and goes ahead to organise a sod-cutting ceremony that according to her, gives her political opponent, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, an advantage over her.”
Reacting to the allegations, TMA said the statements were rather unfortunate, especially when as a member of the TMA, Mrs Torshie-Addo was better placed to appreciate the structure and operations of the Assembly.
According to Management, “TMA disputes and abhor all the purported emotional outbursts spewed by the MP.”
The statement regretted that checks on the Assembly’s attendance books revealed that since March 15, 2011, the MP has not attended any of the meetings of the Assembly even though she is a member of the Assembly.
Recounting the events that led to the construction of the new Mortuary for the TGH, the statement said, following several publications on the state of the old Mortuary, Mr Kempes Ofosuware, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive and some TMA officials, together with the Press, paid a surprise visit to assess the situation at the Mortuary.
The statement said, as an interim measure, the Mortuary and its environs were fumigated and cleared, adding that on November 19, 2011, Mr Ofosu-Ampofo, after leading some residents and Zoomlion officials to embark on a cleanup exercise at the Hospital, reiterated an earlier directive to the TMA to build a new Mortuary for the TGH.
The statement said the Minister made a personal commitment of 100,000 Ghana Cedis towards the project, after paying a visit to the Hospital, following the robbery attack on the UBA Bank in Tema Community Four.
It explained that after an extensive deliberation on the report of the project by the Finance and Administration Sub-Committee of the TMA, the matter was forwarded to the Assembly for further consideration.
The statement added that the report was then tabled at the General Assembly, which was followed by the contract and subsequent sod-cutting ceremony.
The Assembly assured residents in the Metropolis that TMA has a responsibility to improve health delivery at all levels, and would continue to discharge its mandate efficiently and effectively.**
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