Assembly Members of the Ejisu Municipal Assembly have suspended plans to begin a vote of no confidence against Municipal Chief Executive Jerryne Asante after President John Dramani Mahama intervened in the dispute.
The decision follows the President’s establishment of a fact-finding committee to investigate concerns raised by the Assembly Members about Ms Asante’s administration.
The committee is chaired by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, and will examine the allegations before any further action is taken.
George Kuntu Blankson, Assembly Member for the Kwamo Electoral Area and spokesperson for the group, told Citi News on Monday, August 3, that the Members had agreed to wait for the committee’s findings.
He said the presidential intervention provided an opportunity for their grievances to be considered fully and for the issues surrounding the MCE’s leadership to be investigated.
The Assembly Members had previously issued a one-week ultimatum calling for Ms Asante to be removed from office or to resign. They cited what they described as serious administrative shortcomings during her tenure.
They had also arranged an emergency meeting to start the process of passing a vote of no confidence in the MCE. That meeting did not go ahead because the Electoral Commission was not available to supervise the proceedings.
The Assembly encountered a further obstacle when the auditorium intended for the meeting was found to be locked.
Some Assembly Members alleged that estate officers told them the keys to the facility had been taken away by the MCE’s personal aide. As a result, they were unable to gain access to the venue and proceed with the planned exercise.
The vote has now been put on hold while the committee carries out its work. However, Mr Blankson said the Assembly Members had not abandoned their concerns and would continue to pursue the matter.
He added that the group expected President Mahama to respond to its petition after the investigation had been completed.
“We are waiting on the President to act on our concerns this month. By the end of this month, if the President grants our wish, we will be satisfied. But if we do not hear anything by then, they will hear from us,” he said.
The Assembly Members’ initial demand for Ms Asante’s removal or resignation had set a one-week deadline for action. Their decision to suspend the no-confidence process means the next stage will depend on the findings of the fact-finding committee and the President’s response to those findings.
For now, the planned vote remains suspended, with the Assembly Members awaiting the outcome of the inquiry led by Dr Frank Amoakohene.
