The National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana, NALAG, says it is looking forward to the reinstatement of the Mayor of Sekondi-Takoradi, Abdul Mumin Issah, after investigations into his altercation with a police officer that led to his suspension.
President of NALAG, Bismarck Baisie Nkum, who’s also the DCE for Gomoa West, speaking to Citi News during the Western Regional 2022 Delegates conference in Takoradi, said Inasmuch as NALAG does not condone some of the utterances and the conduct of the Mayor, his mere introduction of who he was shouldn’t have provoked the police officer since MMDCEs are also heads of security councils in their various areas.
“I pray that investigations will lead to his reinstatement because I have also read the police statement. When the incident happened, I came to the Western Region, and together with my colleague MMDCEs, we engaged our friend (Abdul Mumin Issah). The police statement indicated that the gentleman was riding a Toyota Land Cruiser, but we got to know that he was actually using his official vehicle which is not a Toyota Land Cruiser.”
“As to how that statement was put in the public domain, one cannot comprehend that. So the Presidency has taken the right decision with the suspension and investigation is ongoing, but I only pray that the investigations should lead to his reinstatement,“ he said.
The NALAG President, who called for a police escort for MMDCEs during emergencies added that a dismissal of the Mayor over the incident will render MMDCEs as mere heads of the security councils, and could also hurt the relationship between security agencies and MMDCEs.
“If that is not done, we will have situations where Chief Executives will begin to hold back since they are mere heads of security councils in our various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, and that we can easily be suspended when we have these altercations, especially when he has not committed this kind of offense before.”
“For all you know, he was also driving to attend to an emergency. So we should look at a situation whereby we can also grant the MMDCEs that room where if it happens that they are driving for an emergency, maybe they should be with a police escort or some kind of courtesies be given to them“, he added.
Mr. Baisie Nkum in his report to the 2022 Western Regional Delegates conference also called for the review of a 2019 Supreme Court ruling that disallowed assembly members from also working as local assembly staff.
According to the NALAG President, the Supreme Court ruling which conflicts with Act 936 is already causing the resignations of assembly members who want to keep their work, hence the ruling must be looked at again as it is depriving MMDAs of quality members.
The NALAG President further called for fair and equitable across-board allowances for assembly members nationwide to avert the current disparities in allowances based on the strength of the assembly’s Internally Generated Funds.
