In the early hours of yesterday 19th September 2018, the Municipal Chief Executive of the Assembly; Hon Patrick K. B Kumor took steps to introduce a holistic dimension to governance at the local level by paying a curtesy call on chiefs within his territorial borders bringing to the fore socio-cultural dimension to governance and leadership.
Among the delegation that followed the MCE were the two deputies of the Assembly’s administration; Mr. Nii Mills and Nana Ama Gorman, section of the staff and Assembly members. The stupefying hard working Deputy Minister of health who is the Constituency’s representative for Parliament; Hon Gifty Tina Naa Ayeley Mensah dignified the team with her presence.
The team led by the Honourable MCE; Mr. Patrick K. B Kumor made their first stop at the Palace of Weija Mantse. They were received by Nii Denyina Nse and the entire chieftaincy counsel. The spokesperson for the Municipal Assembly; Mr. Julius Sarpei responded to an alluring welcome from the okyeame of the chief briefing them on their mission with an introduction of the entourage to the august house.
The Hon. MCE in an introductory remarks recounted to the chiefs how he came to them about three weeks ago for their prayer support to make his endorsement to the high office of the municipal a success. He told the chiefs that their prayer had worked and therefore he had come to show appreciation, officially outdoor himself to them in his new capacity as the Municipal MCE and to also harvest their concerns, request and support to make the municipal a Primus inter pares.
Nii Denyina Nse in his response congratulated the newly appointed MCE tabling a few concerns for redress. These included Educational Infrastructure such as Kindergarten for the community. The chief did not miss words on requesting for a Senior Secondary School in the municipal since; the carving of a new Assembly had led to a loss of the two existing secondary schools to Ga South Municipal Assembly. He accentuated that they made available a ten (10) acre land to the previous government for that purpose stating further that Gbawe chiefs added on six (6) more acres of land to the proposed project all documented.
He appealed to the MCE to vanguard the tarring of road networks within Weija with special emphasis on the Jama – upper-Weija corridor. The chief passionately appealed to the MCE to see to the completion of the Weija Dam site road and bridge; a link road from Weija to SCC before year 2020. The head of the royal family brought to the attention of the MCE that if this was done it could be an added on source of revenue generation for the assembly by way of road tow; adding that the old bridge had become a potential death trap.
He beckoned the MCE to help salvage terrible potholes on Weija town main road which results from maintenance activities of Ghana Water Company since their major pipelines are in the middle of the road. Nii Denyina Nse went on to request the MP to personally solve the community lighting problem that has beleaguered them from a non-functional street lights they benefited from the previous government.
He emphasised the need to have a traffic light at choice junction to help pedestrians cross the road safely from one end to the other. Further to this he reiterated the need for a bus stop at the same spot to ameliorate the confusion road user’s especially commercial driver’s cause in the area.
The head of the Royal Family gave a historical account on indigenous settlement of the municipal. His submission which had some documentary backing per his sayings made them custodians of the SCC-GISEL lands, Akwasa electoral area and Mile 11.
He therefore entreated the lawmaker and the MCE to table it before the appropriate quarters for those territories to be rezoned under Weija/Gbawe Municipal Assembly.
On boundary issues with Gbawe, they requested the MCE to adopt the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) approach to resolve the menace amicably.
Finally Nii lamented that the recent creation of new electoral areas by the Electoral Commission (EC) is in order, however, placing Jama in an electoral area outside the jurisdiction of Weija should be relooked and reverted to Weija.
The MCE responding to the issues that all the issues he has tabled had been noted and that his strategic plan recognises most of his concerns. He was however, firm to entreat the chiefs to support the call for payments of permits and taxes among their subjects in the coming days to aid funding of projects being envisaged.
The MCE hinted the august house on the Presidents sanitation and environment drive which has become a performance indicator for all MMDCE’s. He pledged to resolve the rezoning issues and the border dispute with Gbawe from a neutral perspective.
The Hon MP of the constituency re-echoed her commitment to the task and challenge giving her by Nii.
Donations were made by both parties in appreciation of each other with prayer said by the wulomo to climax the visit.
At Gbawe Chiefs Palace the team led by Hon. Patrick K. B Kumor was received kingly by the chief and his elders.
The spokesperson for the Assembly introduced the entourage to the royals who reciprocated.
The MCE in his open annotation thanked the chiefs for their solidarity through supplications that has elevated him to his current position. He recounted his sojourn in Gbawe with his parents from childhood making him identity with the land. Hon. Patrick K. B Kumor went on to state that beside his coming to show gratitude to the chiefs, he had also come to open a fora for deliberation of issues of communal interest in moving the municipal forward. He also observed that the execution of projects in the interest of the community depended on funds which could be realised to a greater extent through taxes and permits.
Mr. Patrick K. B Kumor appealed to the chiefs to speak to their subjects to be corporative in the coming days when the Assembly begins a campaign on paying taxes and permits. He ignited ecstasy in the house when he said the Kokroko lorry park would be converted into a market square soon. The floor was opened for opinions to stream in from the chiefs.
The chiefs took turns to outline their concerns from allocated parcels of land for construction of community centre to a Gbawe market which they believe would generate revenue for the Assembly.
Talking about road networks, the chiefs stated that, the Gbawe community boasted of layouts for road construction but that some had been encroached by developers. They were of the view that a round table discussion should be held with the Assembly on the layouts for onward stoppage of the encroachment to give room for the road development.
They pleaded with the Municipal Chief Executive to prioritise the formation of a secondary school for the Assembly.
A typical issue regarding the Gbawe Methodist 1 School known to the Assembly was not left out.
One of the chiefs’ submitted that, a cardinal source of revenue to the Assembly is the issuance of permits; however the continues harassment of developers by land guards is of great concern since it discourages developers; denying the Municipal Assembly of revenue.
On the issue of border dispute with Weija they requested the MCE to be circumspect as possible in bringing the issue to rest.
The Gbawe Mantse lamented with a passionate plea to the MCE of the need to construct a bridge at Lafah to connect Gbawe to Ablekuma North to ease traffic at mallam junction. He also petitioned the MCE to consider constructing the Gonse roads and gutters to make the community accessible and habitable.
The Honourable Member of Parliament for the constituency in response told the chiefs that in her personal capacity as MP for the area, the Lafah Bridge had been pen down with the necessary protocols ongoing to secure funding and approval for project take off in the coming weeks.
She cited that the delays in development in the area have been as a result of a lack of an MCE. “For us to have a listening and industrious MCE as Patrick Kumor is a rest from our troubles” she stated.
The visit ended with a donation from the MCE and his team with special prayers from the Wulomo.
The situation was not different at Wiaboman Palace. The team was received by the King maker with all the necessary protocols observed. The King Maker expressed their joy for the newly appointed MCE, wishing him well and appealing to him for support in any possible form.
The MCE thanked them and assured them of his unflinching support, appealing to them on their role in addressing the sanitation dilemma in the area. He promised them of a Public place of convenience furthering it with the need to impress on their subjects the importance of paying their taxes and permits to fund projects.
The MP in closing remarks raised concerns about the continued absence of the chief during such visits.
They were honored by the MCE and his team with a donation.
