NPP members prevent ASHMA from approving contract

Some members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Friday, locked out members of the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly (ASHMA) to protest and prevent “an illegal award of contract”.

The move, according to them, was to prevent members from attending a joint meeting of the Assembly’s Executive Committee, and the Finance and Administration Committee to allegedly approve a revenue collection contract awarded to an Indian Company without due process.

The supporters numbering about 30 and clad in NPP paraphernalia, locked the main gate to the premises which also house the Ashaiman Circuit Court.

Mr Kwesi Adu-Gyamfi, Public Relations Officer for ASHMA, told the Ghana News Agency that the NPP supporters locked the place up because they thought the meeting was to approve the said contract.

Mr Adu-Gyamfi added that the supporters who were mostly at the gate did not riot but vowed to prevent the Assembly Members from entering the premises to have the said meeting.

The meeting he said, has since been postponed indefinitely.

He added that the gate was opened later when leadership of the NPP in Ashaiman and the Police talked to the group.

Mr Emmanuel Chapman Kodam-Takyi, NPP Ashaiman Constituency Secretary, confirmed the incident and said members had information that even though the general assembly of ASHMA has refused to approve the said contract, the MCE, Mr Ibrahim Baidoo, was bent on having his way and issuing fictitious contracts to his cronies.

Mr Kodam-Takyi added that they convinced the supporters to open the premises, while they impressed on the Assembly to cancel the said meeting to ensure calm.

He gave the assurance that the new administration of the Assembly under the NPP would scrutinize every last minute contract signed by the MCE, and would not hesitate to cancel those awarded illegally.

Mr Eric Amexo, Registrar of the Ashaiman Circuit Court and Lawyer Irene Abochie Nyahe, expressed their unhappiness about the incident as it led to delay of the court proceedings.

They said court staff, litigants, and lawyers were all locked out for some hours.

Source: GNA