Akwasi Agyemang Still Under Fire

June 10, 1999 By Isaiah Asante Hayford

Accra - The entire membership of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) have resolved to remove Nana Akwasi Agyemang, the Metropolitan Chief Executive from office. They have therefore reiterated their uncompromising stance on the issue, which was first presented in the form of a petition to the President, Flt. Lt. J.J. Rawlings on May 27, 1999.

The decision to get the Metro Chief Executive removed through constitutional means, as contained in their earlier petition, was also addressed to the Ashanti Regional Minister, the Ministry of Local Government, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and the Chief of Staff, Castle, last Tuesday in Kumasi by 46 out of the 60 elected assemblymen of KMA. They insisted that they cannot work with the Okumkom again.

They also denied allegations levelled against them in a section of the media by Akwasi Agyemang's aide, Kwame Boateng a.k.a "Apiegee", a government appointee at the KMA, claiming that all the 46 elected members signed the resolution requesting Nana Akwasi's removal under duress and coercion as baseless.

"We are by this press conference stating categorically that, none of the members signed the petition under duress as stated. We all signed the resolution out of our own free will and not under any pressure as is being alleged by people, especially Nana Akwasi Agyemang and his hunch men."

The Assembly members reminded agents of Nana Akwasi Agyemang of the Local Government Act 462, LI 1614 and Standing Orders Section 17, Sub Orders 1,2, and 3 which stipulate that the Metro Chief Executive can be removed by the (a) President or (b) by resolution supported by at least one-third, that is, 30 members of all the members of the Assembly. That requirement has, they maintained, had been carried out.

They threatened to go to court if the petition to the President was not carried out. They again warned that they would advise themselves if the KMA's presiding member also fails to convene an urgent meeting within 7 days as stipulated by the law.

The members further said they had had enough of Nana Akwasi Agyemang and could not work with him anymore.

"We are prepared to serve the good people of Kumasi who voted us to the Assembly but with Okumkom as KMA boss, nothing can be achieved," they maintained.