Ga chiefs, Vanderpuije resolve problems

The Ga Traditional Council has smoked the peace pipe with the Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Dr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije.

The peace pact is on the condition that the mayor fulfil his responsibilities to the council.

Last Thursday, the chiefs held a press conference during which they kicked against the re-nomination of Dr Vanderpuije by President John Mahama, citing various reasons including financial malfeasance and the misapplication and misappropriation of funds.

The Sakumo Wulomo and chairman of the meeting that was held by the council to call for the removal of Dr Vanderpuije, Numo Ogbamey III, met with Dr Vanderpuije at the Ga Mantse Palace Monday where he enumerated the wishes of the Ga Traditional Council.

Numo Ogbamey III described the meeting as purely accidental as he was at the palace on a different mission but that notwithstanding, it gave him the opportunity to give Dr Vanderpuije an insight into the antecedents to their recent press conference.

Dr Vanderpuije had visited the palace to brief the media on recent developments in the metropolis.

Dr Vanderpuije has ended his four-year term in office as Chief Executive of the AMA and is seeking another four-year term.

The chiefs also accused the AMA of neglecting its responsibilities to the council and sidelining some of them, while working with just two chiefs.

According to Numo Ogbamey, members of the council were willing and ready to work with Dr Vanderpuije if he was able to rehabilitate the Ga Mantse Palace and hand over the keys to them.

He also asked Dr Vanderpuije to work towards uniting the council, which is currently divided.

He, however, stated that the other allegations regarding the financial malfeasance contained in the audit report and management letter of the assembly were still hanging.

'If we say he has not done anything, it will be a lie. He has done a lot but he must explain how the money was used,' he stated.

He told the Daily Graphic that his peace offer to Dr Vanderpuije was premised on an earlier meeting held among the chiefs and Ga youth on Sunday June 17, 2013 to discuss the way forward.

He said Dr Vanderpuije had assured them of completing rehabilitation works on the palace in three weeks time.

Story: Naa Lamiley Bentil

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