Opinion: What I will tell the President if I meet him

After almost three months break, I am back on the block because of the numerous issues that need to be discussed and brought to the attention of the President.

The issues are motley in nature and very key to the development of this country, as well as towards the improvement in the standard of living of the people.

I have for some time now been brooding over some of these issues and I have been wondering how I can pass them on to President John Dramani Mahama.

I have on a few occasions, since 2001, had the privilege of interacting with former President John Agyekum Kufuor and President Mahama (since his days as Vice President) and was able to tell them one or two things bothering the people they governed.

I am still looking for another opportunity to meet President Mahama to tell him about some of the pressing issues that need urgent attention, which could possibly put back the smiles on the faces of those suffering such cruel fate, as well as restore the confidence Ghanaians reposed in him and voted for him during the 2012 presidential election.

The last time I had a close interaction with President Mahama was during the burial service of ace international broadcaster, Komla Dumor, at the forecourt of the State House in Accra.

It was a brief session, less than two minutes, and I could not tell him all the things that were on my mind.

I am very hopeful there would be another opportunity for me to meet the President, this time in a more conducive and relaxed atmosphere, and I would bring to his notice some of the challenges that confront the people, especially those at the grassroot.

One of the important issues I would talk about is the shabby way the people of the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality in the Eastern Region are being treated. 

The reason for this kind of treatment is not clear, but I believe when this issue gets to the President a solution would be found, and the resolution of this problem could put the hearts of the people at ease.

It sounds unbelieveable and absurd that before December 3, 2013, the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Assembly was the only assembly without elected representatives. 

This was because at the time the metropolitan, municipal and district level elections were being held country-wide in November/December 2010, the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality had been excluded from the polls as a result of a border litigation.

After battling it out in court, the ruling was made by the Supreme Court and the green light was given for the election to be held. 

Consequently, the election was successfully held on December 3, 2013. Thirty-one assembly members were elected to represent the people in the various electoral areas within the municipality.

What continues to baffle the people is the failure of the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development and the Eastern Regional Minister to put things in place and swear the assembly members into office to give them the much-needed legal backing to work as representatives of the people.

 Worst of all, the government has also failed to appoint the one-third of representatives it is obliged to in consultation with the traditional authorities and other interest groups in the municipality to the assembly.

As it stands now, nothing is working in the municipality because the elected assembly members have no legal backing to discharge their duties as mandated by the Constitution.

I suspect that this kind of negligence on the part of the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development and the Eastern Regional Minister has not got to the attention of the President.

The people of the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality, both home and abroad, find this lacklustre attitude an insult to the dignity of the people.

Worst of all, the Municipal Chief Executive, who was supposed to have left office by the May 15, 2013 deadline that the President gave to all serving metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives who had not been re-appointed, is still at post and running an absolutely one-man show.

It is very saddening that the people of Lower Manya Krobo continue to suffer this fate because somebody had refused to do his work as stipulated by law that “ the district assembly shall be the highest political authority in the district, and shall have deliberative, legislative and executive powers.”

Apart from this, the assembly members elect are still wondering whether they will serve the mandatory four-year term as stipulated by the Constitution that “ Election to the district assembly shall be held every four years......” or they would be part of the country-wide district assembly election scheduled for October/November this year, which by implication would deny them their four-year tenure of office.

The people of the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality are still waiting for answers, and it is my hope that even though I am raising this concern through this medium, it would get to the President.