KMA Presiding Member contestants asked to step down

Some concerned citizens in Kumasi have pleaded with the two contestants  for the position of a presiding Member for the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) to step down to enable fresh nominations to be opened for interested persons to contest for the position.

The two who have contested the position for four consecutive times without success are the Adumhene and government appointee, Baffour Agyei Kesse, and a former Presiding Member and Assembly member for the Suame Electoral Area, Nana Kofi Senyah. 

Concerned citizens

The concerned citizens noted that the two had contested for the PM position for four consecutive times but none of them had the stipulated two-thirds majority of the total 139 assembly members voting.

They were further of the view  that the situation has seriously affected the running of the assembly.

According to them it is only when the assembly is in session that it could qualify for the Functional and Organisational Assessment Tool (FOAT) which will enable it to have Urban Development Grant (UDF), District Development Fund (DDF) and other interventions to be added to the Internally Generated Fund (IGF) for development.

Best interest

 In an interview, Madam Ama Pokua of the Central Market said it would be prudent for the two persons to step down in the best interest of the metropolis.

She stressed that the absence of the assembly members should be the concern of all the people in the metropolis. According to her, they were elected to be spokespersons for their various electoral areas and furthermore lead the electorate in their development efforts.

Opanin Kofi Agyei of Krofrom noted that the two have every right to contest but urged them to consider to retire for the interest of the metropolis.

A trader at Adum, Nana Kofi Nimoh, advised the two to consider the plight of Kumasi and allow other people to contest.

He called on the assembly members to be circumspect in voting for people who would contest in order to avoid the stalemate syndrome.

Prudent for stakeholders

Maame Serwaa Nyarko of the Bantama Market noted that it would be prudent for the stakeholders to advise the two not to contest again to ensure peace at the assembly.

She said the members had made her  disillusioned about the assembly concept which, according to her, was to bring down governance to the doorsteps of the people.

Mr  Kwame Agyei-Mensah of Ash-Town said the KMA assembly members had made the people fed up with them and called on them to change their style.

He said they were sent there to bring development to their various electoral areas but now the reverse was the case as politics had taken precedent over the development of the metropolis and added that he would not vote in the subsequent district assembly election because the concept had now become partisan.

Mr Joe Osarfo of Kwadaso noted that the metropolis needed peace and therefore urged the assembly members to think about the electorate rather than their personal aggrandisement.