I’ll deal with ‘bad’ MMDCEs - Ashanti Regional Minister fumes

Out of the 43 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in the Ashanti Region invited to the second meeting of the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) yesterday, only 15 were present.

Importantly, the MMDCEs were supposed to attend the meeting with their presiding members, but some failed to do so.

Though the meeting was scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. prompt, it took off, at about 10.45 a.m. with only 15 of the MMDCEs present at the Prempeh Assembly Hall.

A visibly unhappy Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, threatened to deal with the MMDCEs who failed to attend the meeting.

"With the exception of some four of the MMDCEs who are exempted, I am going to query anyone who did not attend the meeting;

"Even heads of departments have reported, but the MMDCEs who should take the RCC's duties seriously are not here; they would be queried," he cautioned.

Present at the meeting were the occupants of the silver stool of Asanteman, Daasebre Osei Bonsu, and Asante Mampong Paramount Chief.

Among others, the meeting was presented with audit infractions of the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and the finances of the assemblies.

Thereafter, 10 more new members were sworn in by the Ashanti Regional Supervising High Court Judge, Justice Kofi Akrowiah.

When the meeting tackled the financial performance and compliance, the Ashanti Regional Minister expressed his dissatisfaction about the performance of most assemblies, stressing that they failed woefully to effectively exploit the resource potentials of their areas for the benefit of their people

According to the Minister, analysis of 2022, internally generated revenue as of the end of October, indicated that the assemblies collected an amount of GHC 63,432,820.18 out of a budgeted figure of GHC 94,558,200.85, making 67 percent.

He noted that it was very unfortunate that MMDAs failed to submit their monthly financial statements to the RCC, and said that 11 assemblies were yet to submit their financial statements for September.

Linked to the poor financial performance of the assemblies, Mr. Osei Mensah said their failure or inability to ensure compliance in their financial management was the reason they were constantly cited by auditors for infractions.

The Minister told them that the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development would not "hesitate to make recommendations for the application of appropriate sanctions against chief executives who do not take interest in the financial performance and compliance of their assemblies."

"You need to work hard to address the number of audit violations that often culminate in appearances before the Public Accounts Committee, an unpleasant situation that has the potential of denting the image of most assemblies," he said.