ACCRA METROPOLITAN ASSEMBLY INTERACTS WITH SUNYANI MUNICIPAL AND SUNYANI WEST ASSEMBLIES.

A twenty one (21) member delegation of the Accra metropolitan Assembly (AMA) led by its Presiding Member Hon. Desmond Nii Addo-Biney on Friday July 22nd 2010, interacted with Assembly members of Sunyani Municipal and West Assemblies at the Sunyani Municipal Assembly Hall. The interaction was to afford the three (3) assemblies the opportunity to compare notes, strike a difference and choose the best option for the development of the respective assemblis and Ghana as a whole. Welcoming the delegation, the Presiding member for Sunyani West Hon. Agyenim Boateng who stood in for the Presiding Member for Sunyani municipal thanked the delegation for the visit and hoped that the brain storming between the 3 assemblies will go a long way to help them.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Sunyani Municipal Assembly Hon. Kwasi Oppong Ababio in a short but impressive speech said interaction among the assemblies in the country is long over due saying “the assemblies have been trying to establish sister relations in the Diaspora but among ourselves there is no such relations and that is why i think the initiative by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly is laudable and welcomed". He was of the opinion that if the assemblies compare notes, strike a difference and choose the best option, from time to time it will go a long way to help their respective assemblies for as he puts it “Dee otwa kwan nim se n’kyi akyea” literally translating the one cutting a route does not know it is crooked. The Presiding Member for AMA Hon. Desmond Nii Addo-Biney educated members of the two assemblies about the activities of the AMA but those which were instructive were those which do not pertain in the two assemblies. For instance he made mention of the National Pledge which is recited before every assembly meeting which according to him is meant to inform assembly members that they are there not because of partisan politics but to serve mother Ghana. He also spoke about the current status of Accra as a millennium city.
He added that because of the new status of the city, the shift system in schools whereby pupils have only four (4) hours for learning in the city have been abolished and that 50 millennium school blocks are expected to be completed by September 2010. He also mentioned the GH¢10,000.00 which is given to every electoral area in the metropolis before the approval of the supplementary budget every year for development in those areas. On welfare for the assembly members themselves, he said they are giving something based on what the assembly generates and was not willing to disclose the actual figure. On committees at the assembly, he spoke about many of them but those which are not in existence at the two assemblies that he mentioned are child planning committee which deals with children welfare and disaster committee which also handles disasters. He said each of these committees meet once every month unless there is an emergency.
During optional speeches the assembly members expressed their views on many issues but they were unanimous on their welfare. Their frustrations were expressed by Hon. Sylvia Opoku Manu, Assembly woman for Mansralor electoral area in Accra when she said “Hon. P. M we the assembly members do all the grassroots works for the members of parliament yet they (MPS) do not care about our welfare”. “If we are given even a quarter of what they take, it will help us”. She appealed to the MPS, Presiding Members and the assembly members to fight for the welfare of the assembly members. Her concerns were collaborated by Hon. Baffoe Ocrah assembly man for Penkwasi in the Sunyani Municipality. An assembly man at the Sunyani West assembly Hon. Agyemang Badu expressed concern about the delay in the release of the motor bikes for assembly members. When it came to the turn of Hon. Justice Mingle who is a Government appointee and chairman for Disaster sub-committee at the AMA ,he advised the Assemblies to generate more income internally instead of always relying on the Assembly`s Common Fund. When Hon. Albert Amenku chairman for welfare committee of AMA caught the eye of the PM, he was full of praise for the Sunyani Municipal and West Assemblies for the hospitality shown to them adding it is unprecedented. He added “I did not know that such a reception could be gotten in this part of our world”. He promised that they were going to invite the two assemblies to Accra and will retaliate. All the concerns raised by the assembly members were addressed by the Presiding Members and the MCE and DCE for the two assemblies.

Ending the meeting, the DCE for Sunyani West Hon. Osei Assibey thanked the AMA members for the visit and hoped what they have discussed will be put into practice for the benefit of the Assemblies. The meeting ended with a prayer from Hon. Evelyn A. Richardson assembly woman for Tonsuam in the Sunyani municipality. The meeting was well attended even though assembly members were given a very short notice.