The Ashanti Regional Minister, John Alexander Ackon has in a show of pure optimism stressed the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) would this Friday have a presiding member(PM) to steer its affairs.
In an interview with the Ghanaian Observer Newspaper moments after participating in a fisticuff-ridden meeting by the over 140 assembly members at the Trades Union Congress(TUC) hall, Adiembra, Mr Ackon expressed confidence in securing a compromise candidate to head the Assembly as presiding member.
According to him, the Assembly had the capacity to ride the current storm that had prevented it from securing a PM despite the five times it had tried to do so.
With the maturity being shown by members of the Assembly in complying with the standing orders and local government act in the house at the last sitting, the Regional Minister noted an end was in sight.
PARTISAN STANCE:
Mr Ackon said though the assembly was being torn apart by partisan sentiments, he, however, stressed the men and women possessed capacities that exuded consensus building.
He noted the display of unity following the stepping down of two earlier aspirants, Nana Agyei Kese IV, Adumhene and Nana Kofi Senya, assemblyman for Suame had given him hope the assembly could forge ahead and elect a presiding member this Friday.
According to the Minister who now deputizes as Metro Chief Executive owing to the resignation of the former MCE, Kojo Bonsu, the assembly would try to use its deliberative powers in their next meeting to arrive at a decision.
He, however, stated they would not compromise the standing orders of the house nor circumvent the laws governing the election of the PM as stated by the 1992 constitution requiring a two-thirds majority before one is sworn in as PM.
VIEWS:
Speaking to the paper later, Nana Yaw Wiredu, Assembly member for Ahensan Estate and chief of Nyamekrom in the Eastern Region also expressed hope the KMA would secure a Pm in their next meeting but cautioned against entrenched positions by his fellow members.
According to him, members had suffered far too long in securing a PM for the Assembly, noting many development projects and initiatives had been stalled due to this back and forth happenings.
Francis Dodovi, a government appointee to the KMA said members should vote comprehensively for one candidate they feel is competent to handle the affairs of the KMA so that development could go on in Kumasi.
He noted either Michael Adusei, Assemblyman for Dadiesoaba and Abraham Boadi, Ridge Nhyiaeso assemblyman who are now front runners as PM aspirants should be comprehensively voted for in the next meeting so as to forestall the assembly having to mark time in its quest to having a PM.
