Ashaiman assembly to close down gaming centres
More than 100 illegal gaming centres are to be closed down in the Ashaiman Municipality.
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The operation of the centres is not only causing truancy among schoolchildren in the municipality but also turning some of them into criminals.
The decision was announced by the Ashaiman Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Ibrahim Baidoo, following concerns raised by parents and guardians at the assembly’s second social accountability forum held in Ashaiman on Wednesday.
The participants expressed worry over the growing trend, which, they said, was adversely affecting education in the municipality.
According to a participant, while parents and guardians were making strides to educate their children and wards, they, on the other hand, used their feeding fees to engage in betting.
Investigation
The chief executive hinted that security operatives in the municipality had identified the owners of some of the centres and were conducting further investigations into their operations.
“One operator who recently imported over 100 of these machines and positioned them at strategic sales points in the municipality is being investigated,” Mr Baidoo stated.
He added that “the police have also been instructed to conduct daily monitoring at these illegal centres and prohibit schoolchildren from patronising them”.
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Forum
The forum, the second in succession by the assembly, was aimed at rendering account of stewardship for the past year to the residents.
Traders, corporate institutions, tribal and traditional heads were among stakeholders who attended the forum.
Also in attendance were the Regent of Ashaiman, Nii Anang Adjor, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, and his deputy, Nii Djanmah Vanderpuije.
Minister
The regional minister said the political colouration of the upcoming district assembly electionswas bad for local governance and community-led development.
“Politicising district assembly elections should not be the way to go. It retards local development as arriving at a consensus could be cumbersome and delay the overall process of development”, Mr Afotey Agbo observed.
Writer’s email: delarussel@gmail.com