Assembly members in the Sekyere East District Assembly in the Ashanti region have clashed over a decision to pass a ‘vote of no confidence’ in their District Chief Executive (DCE), Mary Boatemaa Marfo.
Sixteen out of the 26 members calling themselves ‘Concerned Assembly Members in Sekyere East,’ said the decision amounts to a coup d’état against the DCE.
Some selected Assembly Members, numbering about 16 want their DCE removed from office over alleged “glaring incompetence” and “corruption.”
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But in a statement to clarify the issue, the ‘Concerned Assembly Members’ said the allegations raised against their DEC were false, fabricated, contemptuous and chauvinistic.
One of the members, Dennis Asenso on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem Tuesday, said the supposed ‘vote of no confidence’ is to tarnish the highly won reputation of the DCE.
“We consider the allegations raised as false, fabricated and contemptuous,” he added.
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Mr Asenso said Madam Marfo has the support of chiefs and queens in the area, thus attempts to remove her will be an exercise in futility.
“Madam Mary Marfo has our support and we will be very disappointed if she is removed. President Akufo-Addo should not listen to the selfish assembly men,” he opined.
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Below is the full statement:
RE: SEKYERE EAST ASSEMBLY MEMBERS SET TO PASS ‘VOTE OF NO
CONFIDENCE’ IN ’CORRUPT’ DCE
We, the concerned Assembly Members, read with shock and regret a statement written by some few selected Assembly Members in a title “Request for a meeting to Pass Vote of No Confidence” which was published on peacefmonline and other media houses on 1st April, 2019.
Despite our surprise at the tone and the intent of the statement, our fears have been confirmed about the possibility of tarnishing the highly won reputation of the District Chief Executive (Hon. Mary Boatemaa Marfo). We consider the allegations raised as false, fabricated and contemptuous.
Hon. Mary Boatemaa Marfo has been receiving a lot of defamation and character assassination from some enviable men from the District who do not believe in the can-do spirit of a woman. We consider this as one of the wicked plans and strategies intended to divert her attention from the
good works she has been executing for the good people of Sekyere East District. There are uncountable number of projects that the Hon. District Chief Executive has executed within this short term of two (2) years.
Construction of 20-seater Aqua Privy Toilet at Brofoyedru, Construction of 2-unit water closet Toilet at Effiduasi, construction of 2-unit water closet Toilet at Asokore, Construction of Asokore Market, Construction of Steel footbridge at Asokore, Construction of 3-unit classroom block at
Okaikrom, Renovation of DCD and District Magistrate bungalows, Rehabilitation of District Fire Service Station, Construction of CHPS Compound, Drilling and Mechanization of Bore hole at Ahinsan, Construction of 3-unit classroom block at Mahinso, Construction of 3-unit classroom block at Motokrodua, Drilling and Mechanization of 3 boreholes at Okaikrom, Asokore and Akuakrom, Construction of 3-classroom block at Odurokrom, Construction of 3-unit classroom block at Apemso, Construction of Effiduasi to Tetekaso Road, Construction of Asokore to Ahinsan Road, Furnishing of CHPS Compounds at Ntumkumso and Motokrodua, Construction of District Warehouse, Construction of youth training Centre for BAC, District wide Refuse Evacuation, Drilling and Mechanizing of Boreholes at Asokore South, Effiduasi South and Effiduasi Zongo and many more.
A lot of projects are ongoing and others have been initiated by our hardworking, selfless District Chief Executive. She believes in the vision of H.E President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
We would therefore want to state on record that, Sekyere East District has never experienced such tremendous infrastructural projects and development until Hon. Mary Boatemaa Marfo assumed office. This has made the Queen mothers of these two major towns held a press conference to debunk the allegations raised against the District Chief Executive. Nana Abena Konadu, Queen mother of Effiduasi and Nana Obaa Yaa Abraku, Omanhemaa of Asokore in their Press conference on 3rd April 2019 stated emphatically that, The D.C.E deserves commendation of her good
performance. They also called on the President, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to ignore all the false allegations raised on the unifier, Hon. Mary Boatemaa Marfo. For the purposes of record and clarity, we would like to throw light on some of the fabricated stories raised in their statement published on peacefmonline on 1st April, 2019;
1. SCHOOL FEEDING MALFEASANCE
We would like to debunk this false allegation. The office of District Chief Executive is a very high office that people cannot base on their selfish interest and emotions to connive with other party executives to just put things together to deceive the general public. We live in an era of facts and
records. There has never been any internal or external audit report to back this claim. The District Chief Executive has no business in engaging in this devilish act. The District has received a high turnout and smooth running of this social intervention. The evidence is clear for all and sundry to verify.
2. PROJECTS NOT PASSING THROUGH THE PROPER PROCEDURE
Per their statement, the only project that was cited under this false allegation was the evacuation of District Refuse of the tune of Five hundred and thirty thousand Ghana Cedis (530,000). We would like to bring to the public notice that, this evacuation was done in Nine highly tonned Refuse
Sites in the District. As Law abiding District Chief Executive, a committee has been instituted to look into this project. It is very surprising that, the decision for this committee was unanimously agreed by all Assembly members, yet section of us have chosen this path as a way of bringing the
name of the district into disrepute. It is also very important to note that, because of the circumstances that surround the project, Payment has been withheld and we can say on authority that, the contractor despite completing the work since 2017, has not been yet paid until due diligence of proper procedure made. However, the objectives of this project can never be underestimated. There was a massive cry out from Nananom and our dear people of the district as matter of urgency evacuate these high refuse dumps. After the completion of the work, the Assembly has been commended by the Opinion leaders and Nananom of the District including
some of us whose areas were part of the selected area. It is a pity to find Hon. Mercy Awuah’s signature among the members who signed for this allegation. It is imperative to note that, her area was one of the major sites that the evacuation was done.
3. PWD COMMON FUND DISBURSEMENT
The DCE has never and cannot unilateral buy items and distribute to PWD without following the
recommendations from the appropriate committees. We treat this as contempt, false statement and
created just to distract her vision for the district.
4. INFLATION OF CONTRACT SUM
We wish to condemn this barbaric claim. This clearly shows that, some of our colleagues at the Assembly needs to be oriented on procurement processes. Under no circumstance can District Chief Executive inflate contract with her own power. Such act has never occurred at Sekyere East
District Assembly and we appeal to the general public to treat this as false. We therefore wish to see any attached audit report backing this false claim.
5. PAYMENT OF NON-EXISTING PRODUCT(S)
Value for money has been the slogan for this noble District Chief Executive. This claim pushed us
to verify from the procurement office of the Assembly and to our dismay, we found out that every
single product purchased has receipt and passes through a system that is directly linked to Ministry
of Finance for purpose of Scrutiny and Accountability.
6. THE DCE’S DOES NOT HAVE THE INTEREST OF THE ASSEMBLY
MEMBERS AT HEART
This is the fundamental or the KEY reason why all these stories have been fabricated to deceive the general public and also tarnish the image of the Hon. DCE. We want to place on record that, Hon. Mary Boatemaa Marfo has been the most sensitive DCE on the welfare of Assembly Members. It is not surprising that Hon. Adjei Baafi Emmanuel, the Ntumkumso and the Presiding Member of the Assembly named his daughter after this industrious woman of our time after financially supporting him throughout his campaign of becoming the Presiding Member. Today, this same person is conniving with other party executives to disgrace and say all manner of things to disgrace the DCE. The District Chief Executive upon assuming office realized that, if she can efficiently run the Assembly, she will need the support of all the Assembly Members. She then decided to procure motor bikes for the Assembly Members to help facilitate their work at their electoral areas. In April 2018, Hon. Mary Boatemaa Marfo bought twenty six (26) brand new Royal Motors and distributed 26 to all the Assembly Members, 2 to District Police Service and One (1) to the District Fire Service Station. Despite, the official ban on District Chief Executives purchasing
motor bikes for their members, this woman put her career on line and went ahead to buy them because of the love and commitment she has for the honorable members. We are the same Assembly Members who sang praises and glorious songs to cheer the DCE for her bold decision.
Today, Government has procured new set of motor bikes to be distributed for which the money will be deducted from the Assembly’s Common Fund. The Regional Minister has therefore issued a statement that, it would be very economical and prudential for every Assembly who has formerly procured motor bikes to hold on with the distribution of this new ones to the same Assembly Members. The idea was that, there is an upcoming Assembly Members’ election and the newly elected ones will also have to be given motor bikes. So after the election, these new ones from the government can be distributed in order to save the Assembly from financial
lose.These directives was received and the District Chief Executive has no authority to circumvent the minister’s directive. These Assembly Members out of greed insisted to get all these two (2) motor bikes within this short period of one year at the expense of new ones who will be elected coming few months. So they are of the view that, if the District Chief Executive will not ignore the Regional Minister’s directive and give motor bikes out, then lies and contemptuous statements will be made to tarnish her image and follow on with impeachment process. To our Surprise, the Presiding Member (Hon. Adjei Baafi Emmanuel) whom the said request was made for him to follow the impeachment process was among the 16 members who
signed for the removal of the DCE. It is however unlawful for a presiding member to sign to show his bias position and at the same time position himself as the referee for such impeachment process. It has therefore confirmed the rumours and hidden agenda that the Presiding Member whom through Hon. Mary’s support got to that position, stabbing at her
back to overthrow her to become the new DCE of Sekyere East District. It has also come to our notice that, the Presiding Member made some of the Assembly Members sign without letting them know the content. No wonder most of the members who signed has rescind their decision after the content came to the public notice. If Parliamentarians cannot receive two (2) vehicles within a term of office, why should they instigate Assembly members to receive two (2) motor bikes within a term. We want to bring to the attention of the general public that, the District Chief Executive of
Sekyere East District Assembly, Hon. Mary Boatemaa Marfo has never engaged in any unlawful act. All the allegations raised against her are false and therefore we warn the greedy and selfish people in the District to be circumspect in their reportage. We, the concerned Assembly Members of the District pledge our unflinching support for the Hon. DCE. We also
thank the President for appointing such a committed and hardworking District Chief Executive
for the District.
LONG LIVE SEKYERE EAST DISTRICT
LONG LIVE ASHANTI REGION
LONG LIVE GHANA
Convenors:
Hon. Dennis Asenso
( Assembly Member, Senchi Electoral Area)
Hon. Eric Adjei
(Assembly Member, Asokore West Electoral Area)
