KMA can now address Bonsu's bungalow saga – Ackon

The continued stay of Mr Kojo Bonsu, the former Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), in a government bungalow can now be discussed at the assembly’s meeting following the KMA’s election of a Presiding Member, John Alexander Ackon, Ashanti Regional Minister and acting Kumasi mayor, has said.

Assembly members at the KMA last week called on the former mayor to vacate the assembly’s bungalow with immediate effect. The aggrieved assembly members said the former KMA boss had failed to vacate the assembly’s residence, three months after leaving office.

Abraham Boadi, popularly known as Opooman, the Assembly Member for Nhyiaeso, told Chief Jerry Forson, host of Ghana Yensom on Accra100.5FM on Wednesday October 12 that they were disappointed with Mr Bonsu’s continued occupancy of the building.

He said among other things: “Kojo Bonsu did nothing good for Kumasi and, so, I am not surprised at the bad roads we see now. The only project he embarked on was the Rattray Park, and that was all.

“He (Kojo Bonsu) really underperformed; that was why pressure was mounted on him to resign.”

However, in an interview on Friday October 14, the regional minister said since a new Presiding Member for the KMA had been elected, aggrieved assembly members could now raise the issue at the assembly’s meetings, urging them to desist from discussing the matter in the media.

“A new Presiding Member has been elected so they can make their concerns known at the assembly meetings,” he said.

On Thursday October 13, the KMA, after six failed attempts fraught with conflicts, finally settled on Nana Asare as the Presiding Member.

He garnered 100 YES votes as against 22 No votes in ballots cast on Thursday.

Nana Asare told the assembly that other districts were ahead in terms of development due to the delay in electing a PM, hence everyone must put in their best effort to expedite programmes that have stalled in the absence of a PM.

“We have been elected with the sole purpose of leading the development in Kumasi,” he added.

He also pledged to act fairly in the administration of the assembly.

“I am going to be a Presiding Member for all. I am going to treat all members equally. I do not have favourites and I will not have favourites. I will discharge my duties without fear or favour,” he assured the assembly members.

He entreated members of the assembly to offer him their full support so that together they can “build and develop Kumasi”.