AMA constitutes committee to probe corruption allegations against Mayor

A seven-member committee has been constituted by Assembly members of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to probe corruption allegations against the Chief Executive, Madam Elizabeth Kwaatso Sackey.

The Committee was formed after a Special General Assembly Meeting on Monday, February 20, 2023.

Chaired by Ibrahim Tettey Ankrah, Assemblyman for the Kantseian Electoral Area in the Okai Koi South sub-Metro, the Committee is expected to come up with a report in two weeks.

Alfred Asiedu Adjei, Presiding Member for the Assembly, who disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the decision was to give the Mayor a fair hearing.

Some eleven Assembly Members last week served notice of a resolution to pass a vote of no confidence on the Accra Mayor.

The Assemblymen, among other things, accused the Mayor of procurement breaches, abandonment of projects in the area started by her predecessor, nepotism and the use of intimidation and threats of transfer to silence all dissenting views among the staff of the AMA.

Adjei said, even though the Assemblymen had the right to initiate a vote of no confidence against any leader of the Assembly, including the Mayor, due process must be followed.

According to him, when one-third members of the Assembly triggered the removal of any leader of the Assembly, the Presiding Member had within seven days to call for a meeting to debate on the issues raised, as well as, set up a Committee to investigate the matter.

“So, the Assembly Members decided that they want a seven-member Committee, which a motion was moved and seconded,” he said, adding that “the Committee also agreed that they should be given two weeks, that is, ten working days for them to come up with their findings.”

During the two weeks, he said the Committee was expected to invite the Mayor or her representative to respond to the issues raised by the aggrieved Assembly Members.

“So, they have two main points of reference; to give audience to the Mayor or representative of the Mayor and to advice the general house as to the next step that should be taken and that advice is also subject to the approval of the highest governing body, the general assembly,” Adjei said.

He added that: “For instance, they raised the issue about procurement. She is entitled to come with the Procurement Director of AMA, issues about physical projects, and the Works Department, she is entitled to that. So, that is the level we are at now. Until the Committee comes out with its report, we all have to hold our guns and wait for the outcome of the Committee’s report.”

The Presiding Member also cautioned the Assembly Members to refrain from making further public pronouncements on the matter as that would be prejudicial to the Committee’s work and its findings.

“My advice is not only to the Assemblymen but also to the general public that, we should not be prejudicial to the Committee’s report. Let’s wait, when the Committee’s report is out then we can say what we want to say,” he urged.