The New Trust Newspaper has gathered that the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly ( KMA) is currently under serious financial distressed leading to it inability to pay members allowance for the last four(4) months.
According to our source,
Not only is the Assembly unable to pay Assembly Members allowance,the casual staff or workers of KMA have not been paid for about four(4) months now.
The situation is currently having a serious negative impact on the smooth running of the Assembly.
This paper has learnt that angry members hijacked the Assembly’s Special Meeting held on Friday,1st September,2023 at Prempeh Assembly Hall for about 2hours demanding for their allowance and electoral areas assistance funds
All efforts by Hon Patrick Kwame Frimpong,the Presiding Member (PM) who doubles as Assembly member for Krofrom East electoral area to convince his colleagues didn’t yield any results as members insist to get payment or the Mayor makes firm commitment to settle the arrears.
The members also demanded the release of funds for their electoral areas assistance as the current Assembly is getting to an end.
Apart from the Assembly Members demands the heads of various Departments of the Assembly are also demanding payment of their sitting allowance which is in arrears for about 8 months all due to lack of funds.
The Kumasi Mayor,Hon Samuel Pyne had a tough time to calm the members down.
It would be recalled that KMA PM few weeks ago announced that the Assembly has passed resolution to resume collection of Property rates after Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) had failed to deliver to their expectations.
He revealed the difficulties KMA was going through as a result of inability of Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to collect the Property rates which is one of the major sources of revenue to the Assembly.
The Presiding Member of KMA who doubles as Assembly member for Krofrom East Electoral area revealed that Property rates collection performance by the Assembly as at June, 2022 stood at Ghc 1,170.330.00 and as at December,2022 was Ghc 3,065,519.07..
He said the arrears as at June same year was Ghc 208,027.62 and Ghc 394,842.09 as at December,2022.
The total property rates collected or received plus arrears as at June,2022 stood at Ghc 1,378,357.62 .
Hon.Patrick Kwame Frimpong,KMA PM
The total property rates received plus arrears as at December,2022 was 3,450,361.15 respectively.
The PM said unfortunately,since GRA was given the mandate for the collection of the Property rates the Assembly had only received Ghc114,000 from GRA .
The amount,he disclosed hits the Accounts of KMA on Thursday,27th July,2023.
However,as at Friday,1st September,2023 GRA has reportedly released additional Ghc 4,000 bringing total released to KMA at Ghc 118,000 as Assembly’s shared of property rates collected as compared to same period last year when KMA was in charge of the collection of the property rates collection as indicated above.
Meanwhile,the invitation to the members to attend the special meeting dated 28th August,2023 signed by Hon.Patrick Kwame Frimpong.
The full letter reads “You are hereby summoned to attend a special meeting of the 4th session of the 8th Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) to be held at Prempeh Assembly Hall,Kumasi on Friday,1st September,2023 at 10:00 at which it is proposed to transact business specified in the following Agenda:
•Opening Prayer
•Welcome Remarks by the Presiding Member
•Discussion and Approval of revised 2023 annual Action Plan (AAP).
•Discussion and approval of revised 2023 composite Budget.
•Discussion and revised Procurement Plan
• Review the Special Exercise fine for the Transport Re-Organization exercise.
•Announcement.
•Closing.
By copies of this letter,all sub-metro chairpersons and administrators are requested to attend the meeting as scheduled”.
Source: tntnewspapergh.com
