Reject calls for Tamale Mayor’s dismissal – Local governance expert tells Akufo-Addo

A local governance expert, Fredrick Agyarko Oduro has asked President Akufo-Addo to be “firm” in rejecting calls for the dismissal of the Mayor of Tamale Iddrisu Musah Superior.

The entire executives of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in two constituencies in the Tamale metropolis, Tamale South and Central Wednesday joined calls for the sacking of Musah Superior.

Draped in red attire, the executives warned President Akufo-Addo at a heavily attended news conference of red waves that would hit the party in the constituencies if he does not heed their request.

“We are very angry to issue this important statement. The executive committee of the above [Tamale South and Central] mentioned constituencies are calling on the president, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo to dismiss the Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive, Iddirisu Musah Superior, with immediate effect,” the Tamale South constituency secretary and regional communications team member, Yussif Danjumah said.

The mayor according to the executives runs a parallel administration, neglecting party members in the two constituencies.

“No single contract has he ever been awarded to the current crop of executives for both constituencies to support them to run the party fulfilling his own promise to do so. Ever since he declared his intentions to contest the NPP primaries in the Mion constituency, his appetite for the development of his constituency is very glaring for any careful observer to the detriment of the two constituencies under Tamale metro,” said Danjumah.

Speaking, however, on Starr Today, Agyarko Oduro labelled the calls by the constituency executives as unacceptable and one too many, urging President Akufo-Addo decisively reject them.

“Such people believe that once their party is in power they have the right to decide who’s appointed to which office. And, I think they must be told in plain terms that they don’t have that power and what they are doing is plain illegality,” he stated.

According to him, calling for the head of the mayor because he wasn’t dishing out contracts to party apparatchiks is incomprehensible and any attempt by President Akufo-Addo to yield to the request of the executives will be suicidal.

“As at now, I have not seen any concrete evidence to show that the man is not up to the task he’s performing. Is it the situation that they just want to be given contracts and stuffs like that and some of them also think they must be consulted before key decisions are taken in the Assembly.

“So, I don’t sincerely see any case they have in this issue. I think the president must be firm and carry out the message to them that it’s his prerogative to appoint the gentleman and if the gentleman is performing as expected of him there’s no way he’s going to remove him,” said Agyarko Oduro.

“I think the president should be categorical and be clear in sending out that message..”