The Ashaiman Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Albert Boakye Okyere has advised scores of NPP demonstrators in the constituency to seek education and explanation on the functions of the assembly.
Albert Boakye Okyere said the party protesters’ actions in Ashaiman, Monday, was obvious of their ignorance that except the TDC Development Company Limited, the Ashaiman assembly does not have authority over government acquisition lands.
Led by the former Assemblyman for Obakatse Electoral Area and strong member of the NPP in Ashaiman, Thomas Adongo alleged that Albert Boakye Okyere, Ashaiman MCE, had sold out some prime lands to unknown developers, who have served notices to the occupants to vacate the land for immediate development.
Marching through some principal streets in the already congested town, on Monday, the protesters, clad in NPP colours and flying placards, most of which contained unprintable statements, alleged that the assembly, under Mr Okyere, was unlawfully collecting tolls from traders on Saturdays and Sundays.
They further lamented that Ashaiman has seen any major infrastructural development since Mr Okyere assumed the reign of office, citing deplorable roads and lack of refuse bins at the markets as examples.
Their complaints and observations of the MCE’s leadership, the protesters said, could affect the NPP’s fortunes in the 2020 general elections.
Throughout the street protest, no police personnel was sighted, however, the leadership of the demonstrators was able to direct traffic, and when they arrived at the frontage of the Ashaiman assembly, where heavily armed police personnel had stationed in front of the locked main gate, Thomas Adongo said the protest would be unabated should the MCE continue to harass traders, demolish structures and fail to release the alleged sold prime lands to the rightful owners.
“The NPP executives in Ashaiman would rubbish us that these demonstrators are NDC members because they cannot believe that our own are demonstrating against our own. We won’t allow Mr Okyere to make the party unpopular in this constituency, where President Akufo-Addo is leaving remarkable traces,” Mr Adongo said.
Sharply reacting to them, Albert Boakye Okyere said it was sad that Thomas Adongo, who had been an Assemblyman before and knew that the assembly did not have authority over government acquisition lands, would mislead “some ignorant youth to do what they did.”
He explained that the said land that Thomas Adongo claimed that the assembly had sold to a private developer was untrue, saying: “TDC Development Company Limited gave out that land to Sentuo Company for the government’s private sector driven 1D1F.
“After the TDC Development Company Limited had given out that land, the assembly issued permit for the project to commence anytime soon. And so, in my view, the demonstrators and their leader lacked the necessary education and explanation on what is happening in Ashaiman.”
He, therefore, advised the demonstrators to go to TDC Development Company Limited if they wanted to know how the said land was released to Sentuo Company.
Similarly, the NPP executive in the constituency distanced itself from the Thomas Adongo-led demonstration, describing the action as infantile and baseless.
Daniel Acquah, Ashaiman NPP Constituency Secretary, told pressmen that the demonstrators, except Thomas Adongo, were NDC supporters who Thomas Adongo ‘hired’ to help him express his bitterness.
“Adongo is bitter because he did not succeed in getting the Ashaiman Main Bus Terminal to operate, after his belated submission of bid, when tender had closed. We have had enough of his rants and actions, which are psychologically affecting the growing strength and popularity of our party. And, the executive would meet to take a decision on Thomas Adongo,” Daniel Acquah told the media at a brief presser after the protesters had marched away from the frontage of the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly.
Story by Umar Sheriff / awakenewsonline.com