Minister slams Abuakwa North residents over attempts to disgrace President

The Interior Minister, Dominic Nitiwul has chastised residents of the newly created Abuakwa North Municipality for attempting to disgrace the President over a Court injunction placed on the inauguration of the Municipality.

The Minister who was at Akyem Kukurantumi to represent the President to inaugurate the newly created Municipality became dissapointed when he cited an injunction on the exercise hence couldn’t go ahead to inaugurate the municipality despite a durbar held in readiness.

Speaking at the forecourt of the New Municipal Assembly at Akim Kukurantumi, Dominic Nitiwul rebuked the Akyem Abuakwa North residents attempt to pull down the President in his quest to accelerate development in his “own hometown”, describing it as a disgrace.

Two residents of Akyem Old Tafo in the Eastern Region -Adjei Boateng and Addo Sarpong secured injunction from Koforidua High Court on the inaugural exercise over sitting of Akyem Kukukurantumi as the Municipal Capital.

The two plaintiffs through their Solicitor -Godwin Kudzo Tamaklo ESQ of Ayine and Felli Legal Consultancy firm in Accra are praying the court to direct the Government of Ghana to make Akyem New Tafo the Municipal capital of Abuakwa North Municipal Assembly with immediate effect.

The plaintiffs contend that, Akyem Tafo is more qualified as a municipal capital than Kukurantumi considering the vital governance offices infrastructure such as Electroral Commission office, the District Police headquarters, Ghana Water Company Ltd, Electricity Company of Ghana, The District Magistrate Court, a viable Market center and two Public Senior High Schools already in existence at Akyem New Tafo.

“whereas the President has the discretion to decide where the Municipal Capital should be located, the decision to make Kukurantumi instead of Akyem Tafo, the Municipal Capital was wrongful as same was done without recourse to the requirements that the municipal capital must have the essential infrastructure to allow for the smooth running of the Assembly contrary to Article 296 of the 1992 Constitution.”

The respondent – Attorney General and Minister of Justice as well as the Local Government Minister and the East Akyem MCE, Hon.Owusu Twum Ampofo have been served.

The plaintiffs in their statement of claims pointed out that, out of the sixteen elected Assembly Members, nine are from Akyem Tafo with only two from Akyem Kukurantumi.

The Court will move the application on April 10, 2018.

The sitting of Kukurantumi as the Municipality capital for the Newly created Abuakwa North Municipality has been saddled with protest by residents and traditional rulers of Akyem Tafo. Several petitions have been filed to the President, Local Government Minister and Parliament to withdraw the decision making Kukurantumi the Municipal capital.

Thousands of residents and traditional rulers at Akyem Tafo subsequently embarked on a demonstration to the same effect.