ASSEMBLYMAN SUSPENDED FOR TWO SITTINGS.

The Assembly Man for the Abonsuam electoral area in the Sunyani Municipality Hon. Raphael Cubage was suspended for two (2) sittings of the Assembly at the assembly’s second ordinary meeting which was held on Thursday 26^th of August 2010 for as the presiding member Hon. Otu Essel puts it “Gross disrespect to the presiding member and the assembly as a whole”.

The assemblyman had at the first ordinary meeting of the assembly which was held on the 30^th April this year made some unsubstantiated allegations against the MCE of the assembly Hon. Kwasi Oppong Ababio. His colleagues assembly members pressed that he substantiates his claims this time round because according to them the member had in the past made a lot of such unsubstantiated allegations and had gone scot free.

Hon. Cubagee however refused to substantiate his claims and in the process even walked away from the meeting. This behaviour did not go down well with his colleagues who asked that sanctions preferred against him. In effect therefore the Presiding Member Hon. Otu Essel referred the matter to the public relations and complaints committee of the House of which he (PM) is the chairman to look into it and preferred the appropriate sanctions if found culpable.

At the assembly`s second ordinary meeting on Thursday 26^th of August, the committee read its findings to the general House. According to the report which was read by the Presiding Member, the assemblyman refused to attend upon the committee saying that the committee has no power to investigate him because he (cubagee) had taken the matter to court and any further action by the assembly to sanction him could lead to contempt of the court.

According to the Presiding Member no court has served the committee investigating Hon. Cubagee any summon to appear before it or stop it from investigating him. Rather the member wrote to the MCE warning him to remember the discussions that took place between them at the Samaritan Guest House at Abesim before he (MCE) was endorsed by the assembly and that those who live in glass houses should not throw stones. The Presiding member continued that the letter to the MCE could not stop the committee or the assembly from taking action on the matter.

He therefore asked that the whole assembly takes a decision on the matter. He therefore asked Hon. Cubagee to step out for the assembly to deliberate on the matter and take a decision. The Assembly man (Cubagee) in response told the Presiding member categorically that he was not going anywhere because the matter was in court and the assembly had no power to discuss it or take any action on the matter. The argument went back and forth till the presiding member ruled that whether the member was moving out or not the house will take the decision but he (Cubagee) can not contribute to the discussion.

The Assembly members were unanimous that, the member should be punished except Hon. Owusu Boye assembly man for Akuako electoral area who was of the opinion that Hon. Cubagee should not be punished. According to him, Hon. Cubagee had made similar allegations against the former MCE Hon. Kwasi Twumasi Awuah and if he was not punished then, he does not see why now he should be sanctioned. This brought a heated and uncontrollable argument on the floor.

When the Presiding member managed to calm down tempers, he ruled that the Assembly man should dully be punished and asked members to propose the sanctions.

Different sanctions were suggested including indefinite suspension, two sittings suspension and no suspension by Hon. Owusu Boye. When the vote was put the two sittings suspension had it. Because of the back and forth arguments on this matter the House was not able to complete its business for the day and therefore adjourned sitting to the 9^th of September. However, the House was able to discuss the MCE`s address and minutes from the Executive Committee meeting.

QUEEN OF SWAZILAND PAYS COURTESY CALL ON THE OMANHENE OF SUNYANI.

The Queen of Swaziland Her Royal Highness Nomsah E. Matsebula on Thursday the 19th of August, 2010 paid a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief of Sunyani Nana Bosoma Asor Nkrawiri II at his palace in Sunyani. The courtesy call of the Queen was as part of her two (2) days visit to the Brong Ahafo region. The Queen was accompanied by an eighteen member delegation of His Royal Highness the king of Swaziland to the palace.
They were led to the palace by the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Sunyani Hon. Kwasi Oppong Ababio and Heads of Departments at both the Municipal Assembly and the Regional Co-Ordinating Council. Speaking at the palace Her Royal Highness Nomsah E. Matsebula extended the greetings of His Royal Highness the King of Swaziland to the Omanhene of Sunyani and his people. She said her visit was to create friendly ties between the two royals (Sunyani and Swaziland) and cement the unity between her country and Ghana.
She continued that the two countries share so many things in common especially in the area of culture adding “that is why we have to visit each other from time to time to learn about our different cultures. She extended an invitation to the Omanhene of Sunyani to also visit Swaziland to learn about some important cultures and traditions there just like she has come to do in Sunyani.She added that the climax of their festivals falls on 1st December every year and wish the Omanhene of Sunyani will make it to one of such festivals. She ended by saying “your Excellency Nana we will leave Ghana with fond memories especially the hospitality you and your elders accorded us and the rich culture we have witnessed here in your palace.
Responding the Omanhene of Sunyani Nana Bosoma Asor Nkrawiri II expressed happiness at the visit of the Queen saying “such visits among us as royals on the African continent are long over due”. He added “there are so many chiefs and Queens on the African continent but such visits among us are rare and that is why I think this visit by Her Royal Highness the Queen of Swaziland is laudable and welcomed”. He continued that Africans are one people and the unity between them must continued.
The Omanhene on behalf of the people of Ghana thanked the King, the Queen and the people of Swaziland for the support they gave to the Ghana Black Stars in the last World cup which was held in South Africa. He finally promised to reciprocate the visit by Her Royal Highness any time he is invited by the King. The short ceremony was very colourful and interesting. Culture was at its best as Nananom were decorated with different kinds of Kente cloths with their royal sandals to match and different types of ornaments all over their bodies. Libation was poured and the Tano krom Agromma danced their hearts out to Kete and Adowa dance all of which portrayed the rich culture of Ghanaians.
The Queen Her Royal Highness presented gifts to the Omanhene of Sunyani and his elders.They included a parcel and cartons of assorted drinks. In return the Queen of Sunyani Traditional Area, Nana Yaa Nyamaa also decorated Her Royal Highness and all her entourage with rich Kente cloths.
Security was tight as the police lined up on vantage points of the road to the palace and inside the palace to ensure the security of the queen and her entourage. Her Royal Highness Nomsah E. Matsebula had on the previous night played guest to the Regional Minister Hon. Kwadwo Nyamekye Marfo at his Residency where he held the Queen and her entourage to a Luncheon.

MCE FOR SUNYANI MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY PRESENTS RELIEF ITEMS TO FLOOD VICTIMS AT DAADUM

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Sunyani Municipal Assembly Hon. Oppong Ababio with the help of the Municipal NADMO Office of the Assembly on Wednesday the 11^th of August presented some relief items to some flood victims at Daadum a village in the Sunyani municipality. The village housing about 45 people was completely washed down by floods some

two weeks back rendering its inhabitants homeless. On hearing the news the MCE led a delegation of the Assembly to visit them. When we got there we found to our surprise that there was no river or even a stream around the area which could perhaps overflowed its banks and thus cause such a flooding of the area. The inhabitants of the village told us that they have been living at the village for decades and have never experienced any flood in their lives before. According to them it therefore came as a shock to them when their whole village got flooded. The whole village, cocoa farms and the road leading to the village had been overtaken by water. The Municipal Co-Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation Mr. Kwasi Lampo explained that the area is clayed and therefore the continuous weeks of rainfall and the inability of the water to sink into the ground because of its clayed nature made it possible for a lot of water to gather at the same area and thus causing flooding. He appealed to the people to report issues of disasters to his office on time for redress. During the visit the MCE found to his dismay that these people who been rendered homeless including children were sleeping on the bare floor of the new place they had relocated to near the village.

They had lost all their belongings and had nothing to eat form or sleep on. Touch by their plight the MCE and the NADMO office organised some items for them hence the presentation by the MCE. The items included 5 packets of roofing sheets, 2 bales of second hand clothes, one hundred rubber plates, cups and 5 students mattress.

Speaking at the function the MCE for the Assembly Mr. Gyamfi Ameyaw, the Assembly had come to the aid of the victims because as he puts it government is there to serve its people and if they had not come to the aid of the people in such time of need then there will not be the need for the Assembly to be in place. He added “we in the city depend on you for our survival because you produce food to feed us and that is why your welfare should be our major concern”. He appealed to them to take the education of their children seriously adding, “That is the only legacy you can leave for them”.

The MCE Hon. Oppong Ababio on his part said they touched by the plight of the people, especially the fact that they have been sleeping on the bare floor and wondered what happens to them when it is raining hence the decision by the Assembly and NADMO to come to their aid. He hoped their widow`s might will go a long way to help aguage their present difficulties.

He reiterated the need for them to take their children`s education seriously saying “The only forest in the world today that you can leave for your child is education”. He continued “because we want these children to be educated that the Assembly has spent money to put up that beautiful classroom block for this village so if you don`t send them to school that money has been wasted for nothing.

The Unit Committee Chairman of the area Mr. Richard Tetteh on behalf of the people thanked the MCE and his delegation for the gesture. He promised that they will send their children to the school so that the effort by the assembly led by the MCE will not be in vain. He appealed to the MCE to help them get a teachers bungalow for the only teacher in the area who has been coming from Sunyani. He also on behalf of the people complained about the activities of timber firms which have been operation in the area. The timber firms according to him do not respond to their social responsibilities adding , ‘the only borehole we have here has spoiled for months now and people especially women walk a long distance for water and these firms have not bothered to repair it for us yet their trucks have destroyed our roads farms”.

The MCE called for representatives of these firms who were in the village and cautioned them to repair the road and the pipe or else he will take action against them.

The MCE had earlier in the week visited Adidaase also a village in the Municipality where the river Amoma had overflowed its banks and thus cut some 20 communities away from the main road to Sunyani.

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.

MCE FOR SUNYANI MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY COMMISSIONS TWO BORE HOLES IN SUNYANI

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Sunyani Municipal Ababio on Tuesday the 29^th of June 2010 commissioned two boreholes at near Nkrankrom all in the Sunyani Municipality. The two boreholes which cost GH¢7,500.00 each was funded by African Assistance plan an NGO based in Sunyani. Speaking at the two separate ceremonies at Nkwabeng and Olistar Secondary/ Technical the Chief Executive Director of Africa Assistance Plan Bishop David Donkor said it became necessary for them to under take the project because the MCE had made a request to them to help people in those two areas with boreholes because they at times find it difficult to get portable water to drink especially when the pipes are off.

He appealed to the people not to politicise the project but should take very good care of them so that they will last long for them. He continued “The boreholes are not for the MCE who initiated for them, he will leave the seat he is occupying now one day but this project will be here serving you if you take good care of them”. He said that it is only when they take good care of the boreholes that if they ask for another one they will get saying “Africans laugh to receive gifts but maintaining them is a problem”. At Olistar Secondary/Technical in particular the Bishop advised the students to take their studies serious and use their knowledge acquired there after their courses to improve their lives and also create more jobs. He added “I do not understand why in this country people acquire knowledge but do not use them create jobs and improve the lot of the country but rather mount pressure on the government of the day and for that matter the president for jobs”. “America and other developed countries have developed and they have enough food to feed themselves because their scholars especially those in the Agric Sector use their knowledge to improve the Agriculture and thus produce enough food to feed themselves and also created jobs for the people.

The Chief of Nkwabeng Nana Kyere Akyeamfour appealed to the MCE to always involve Nananom and Assemblymen in all areas they want to undertake projects. He continued “I did not know that such an important project was going on in my community until it came to its commission today, if I had known about it maybe the site would not have been here”. He thanked the MCE for all the projects he has undertaken in his community including the tarring of the roads in the area which were constructed by the previous regime but none was tarred.

The MCE Hon. Kwasi Oppong Ababio in his short speech thanked Bishop David Donkor and his Company for responding to his request in time by providing the two boreholes. He also appealed to the people to take good care of the projects so that they will last long for them. Responding to the concerns raised by the chief of Nkwabeng the MCE apologised to Nananom and said it will not happen again. He said the site was not chose by him but the people who requested for the project but if Nananom were not involved then he was sorry. At the Olistar Secondary / Technical the MCE advised the students to take their studies serious so that they may become responsible adults in the future.

The Principal of the school Mr. Olichey Emmanuel thanked the MCE and Africa Assistance Plan for the project. He said the school has a well at the school but it gets dried up during the dry season hence his appeal to the MCE for the borehole. He promised they were going to take good care of the project so that it will last long for them. He appealed to the Assembly and other organisations as well as philanthropist to come to their aid in a classroom block they have started at the school

He said the school has been supplied with Technical School tools but there are no classrooms for the students to use them. The MCE and his entourage were later taken round the school. Entertainment was at its best as the school brass band, sound system and “Boboobo” from Nkrankrom provided music which people especially the students did justice to.

SUNYANI MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY HOLDS EMEGENCY MEETING.

The Sunyani Municipal Assembly on Friday the 18^th of June held an emergency meeting at the Assembly Hall. Welcoming members to the meeting, the Presiding Member of the Assembly Hon. Otu Essel said the emergency meeting was to enable members consider and approve a

supplementary budget of the Assembly. He thanked members for honouring the invitation in their numbers even though there was short notice to them.

In his short address the municipal Chief

Executive (MCE) of the Assembly Hon. Kwasi Oppong Ababio also welcomed members to the meeting and

reiterated the point by the presiding member that the meeting had become

necessary for members to consider the supplementary budget of the assembly so that the it can get its share of the common fund on time for developments.

He said the Assembly had a number of projects to undertake but needs money to carry them out hence the need for the emergency meeting for members to approve the budget.

The members were taken through the supplementary budget an d the FOAT by the budget analyst of the Assembly Mr. Godson K. Ehorke. At questions and suggestions time the Assemblyman for Abonsuam Hon. Raphael Cubage raised issues about the size of the new slaughter house being constructed at Kootokrom. He said the new slaughter house is too small and the cost for constructing it which was perched at GH¢75,000 is now GH¢107214.01 and said it is on the high side. This was collaborated by his colleague Assembly Members. Responding to the question the Municipal Engineer Mr. James Nunoo said the price has risen to that level due to price fluctuation of cost of building materials. This explanation still did not go down well with the Assembly Members so the MCE asked that a Technical committee be set up to look into it a

nd report back to the house for action which all the members agreed with.

The MCE was not happy about the conduct of some of the Assembly Members who approved th

e size and price of the slaughter house but are now shifting the blame to the former MCE Hon. Twumasi Awuah saying “Honourable Assembly members, let us always try to do the right thing and stop the blame game.” “Most of you were here when this project was approved, you kept quiet and closed your eyes and today you want to blame the former MCE, tomorrow if I am not here you will do the same to me and that is not good”. This reaction by the MCE brought dead silence to the hall for some time.

There was another controversy when the Assembly Man for Akokora Kwadwo electoral area Hon. S. K. Agyekum said he had unilaterally authorized the contractor wo

rking on the New Town 20 seater KVIP approved by the Assembly to 18 seater so that the two remaining setters could be used as another entrance to the toilet. His colleague Assembly Man Hon. Yaw Brenya apologized on his behalf and the MCE asked that the works committee investigate the matter and report to the house for action.

Assembly Members did not take kind to the fact that always when it comes to the training of Assembly staff the local government ministry will have to send people from Accra to the District in question to do it. “This frustration was expressed by Hon. Okoh Tetteh(Appointee Assembly man) when he said “Hon. PM if always people will have to be sent from Accra to train our assembly staff even if the District in question could get such people to do it, then where lies the Decentralization we claim to practice"?.

Responding the Municipal Finance Officer (MFO) of the assembly Mr.

Seth Appiah said “Hon. PM everything about our Decentralization is working perfectly but when it comes to finance there is a serious problem”. When it comes to money matters the Local Government Ministry will have to have a direct hand in it” “This is a policy issue and none of us down here can do anything about it”. “Maybe members can take it up there for us or one day when they become big politicians up there they may change it for us”. The meeting was very successful. Eighteen (18) members were present at the time of roll call.