Accra Mayor SACKED!

The Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Mr Solomon Offei Darko (pictured - standing), has been removed from office and re-assigned to the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC).

This was contained in a release signed today by the Hon. Kwadwo Adjei-Darko, Minister for Local Government and Rural Development in Accra.

According to the Minister, the action of the President was in line with powers conferred on him by Section 20, subsection (4) (d) of the Local Government Act, 1993 (Act 462).

The release stated,"By this letter you are to hand over to the Greater Accra Regional Minister by 26th January 2004,"

The Minister on behalf of H.E.The President expressed his gratitude to him for his services rendered to the state during his tenure of office as AMA Chief Executive and wished him success in his new appointment.

Offei Darko has been in charge of Accra for the past three years but he has been heavily criticised for failing to arrest the worsening sanitation situation in the capital.

The AMA’s handling of waste management has been criticised by several bodies including the Environmental Protection Council. The streets of Accra is still dominated by hawkers who say the assembly is not giving them a fair deal in its attempt to remove them as angry shop owners protest against their presence on the streets.

But Local government Minister Kojo Adjei Darko said the Accra mayor has not been removed for incompetence. “Managing Accra is like managing a football team. A few times you need a change of direction.”

The Minister also said the mayor’ relocation to the National Development Planning Commission was to make the most of his background as a trained planner.