Kumasi MPs Are Too Arrogant

A FORMER Presiding Member of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Nana Kofi Senyah has taken a swipe at Members of Parliament in the Metropolis, saying they are arrogant.

He accused Parliamentarians of feeling big to be part of the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) as required by law, to contribute to the developmental agenda of MMDAs.

Making special reference to some Members of Parliament in the Kumasi metropolis, who are also members of the Assembly on the strength of section 5 sub section (c), of the Local Government Act 462, the New Suame assemblyman said the MPs in Kumasi consider their position in the running of the Assembly as irrelevant, because they "feel too big" to come to the level of the MMDAs, hence their lukewarm attitude.

Nana Senya argued that since it is upon their membership in the assemblies, as provided by Act 462 which qualifies them for the allocation of a portion of the District Assembly Common Fund, it therefore becomes unconstitutional for them to refuse to function in that capacity.

According to him, for the 12 years that he had served as a representative of the New Suame electoral area, he mentioned Mrs. Elizabeth Agyemang and Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, both MPs for Oforikrom and Asawase constituencies, as having attended assembly meetings occasionally. Nana Senyah, however, complained that none of the parliamentarians have ever addressed a meeting of the Assembly, as stipulated by Section 29 of Act 462. He said the MPs always defended their actions that as Legislators they are busy making laws.

During the confirmation of Miss Patricia Appiagyei as CEO of KMA In December 29, 2005, majority of the Members of Parliament from the Kumasi metropolis who double as ex-officio members of the Assembly were conspicuously absent from the ceremony. These include Minister of Road Transport, Dr. Richard Anane (Nhyiaeso), Mrs. Hilda Addo (Kwadaso), Minister of Defence, Dr. Kwame Addo Kufuor (Manhyia), Mr. Maxwell Kofi Jumah (Asokwa), Deputy Minister of Finance Dr. Akoto Osei (Tafo) Mr. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu (Suame) and Ms Elizabeth Agyeman (Oforikrom). Alhaji Mubarak was as usual present. "How can they consider themselves as MPs when they fail to act and perform as expected, and intentionally disregard their mandate at the MMDA's," he queried. He expressed disappointment in the MPs because the Assembly had not benefited from them due to their tight ministerial and parliamentary work.

He said a GH¢1,000,000 million required by the Assembly for the completion of the Jackson Park project is still awaiting approval all this while, even though Dr. Akoto Osei, MP for Tafo/Pankronu is still busy with his schedule as MP.

"Roads in the Kumasi metropolis are not the best, the Kumasi Central Market has since 1988 lacked funding for its rehabilitation, while the Amendment of the Legislative Instrument 1613 since July 15, 2004, cannot be implemented even though Mr. Maxwell Kofi Jumah, who mooted the amendment and is now a Deputy Minister, yet Mr. Anane and Jumah claim they are busy and cannot attend Assembly meetings" he said.

The aggrieved assemblyman, who is the convener of the Environment Sub-Committee of the Assembly, said the non-performance of the MPs in respect of their

roles at the assembly had affected the effective running of the assembly for good governance at the local level.

Nana Senyah said in order to remedy the situation, the Assembly had during his tenure as the Presiding Member, instituted Assembly meetings on Mondays to enable MPs to partake in deliberations of the Assembly, but said that step had not helped matters either.

He expressed surprise that notwithstanding the MPs disregard for the role of the MMDAs, they claim their share of the Common Fund to the extent that they flout guidelines for the disbursement of the Common Fund.

Part 3 of the guideline for the Disbursement of the District Assembly Common Fund, 2008, provides that 10% of the Common fund shall be retained as a Reserve fund, 50% of which would be used as MPs Common Fund and shared among all 230 MPs across the country, to help with the development needs of the Assembly. According to the guideline, it is expected that MPs projects will be selected and approved by the Assembly, since accounts of projects must be part of accounts of the Assembly, meaning MP's are accountable to the MMDAs.

The NDC MP for Asawase, Alhaji Mubarak told The Chronicle that he had attended not less than 10 assembly meetings since he became the MP in April 2005. He said even though the Assembly does not officially invite him, he passes by occasionally when he is informed about any such meeting. "The truth is that they (Assembly) don't want us to be there" he said.

Mr. Anthony Owusu-Boakye, alias Abito, the Special Assistant to Dr. Akoto Osei admitted that his boss had never attended any assembly meeting before but said it was because he had not received any invitation letter to attend an assembly meeting.

He said it was not deliberate and that as a Minister of State and a busy person at that, he needed an official notification so he can plan towards it.

The special assistant also admitted that in spite of the Minister's busy schedule, which did not allow him to attend Assembly meetings, the MP could easily assess the Common Fund through the special assistant's support. He could by authorisation sign all documents on behalf of the Minister for it.

Meanwhile, the Ahafo Ano South District Assembly have recommended that as ex-officio members who have no voting rights, Members of Parliament should cease benefiting from the District Assembly Common Fund.

In a resolution passed at its first ordinary meeting on April 30, 2008, the Assembly further suggested that a separate fund be created within the consolidated fund for the MPs.

The four-point resolution signed by the Presiding Member, Mr. Nicholas Opoku-Afriyie called for the cessation of deductions of the DAFC at source from Assemblies' allocation to allow for maximum utilization of the fund by the Assemblies.

It was suggested that part of the DACF be allocated to assembly members who have the voting right to initiate projects and programmes in their electoral areas. The resolution has since been communicated to the Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment and the Chief of Staff at the Office of the President for the necessary action.

Nana Senyah frowned on the manner the MPs disburse their share of the Common Fund, saying the mode is against the very guidelines set out for it. He said, instead of MPs selecting the projects for implementation by the MMDAs, they cash the monies and disburse them on their own, sometimes misappropriating them. The former Presiding member also criticised the use of part of 30% of the DACF for Community Protection Unit of the National Youth Employment Porgramme (NYEP) against the provision in Part 1 of the said guidelines. Referring to this provision, he said the 30% allocation for NYEP under the DACF is meant for sanitation activities and not for community protection activities, suggesting that the proper thing must be done in the disbursement of the fund by creating a separate fund from property profits as stipulated by the guidelines.