The Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly has refuted claims that it stopped NDC parliamentary aspirant John Dumelo from dredging gutters in the municipality.
According to Mr. Dumelo, the Assembly communicated to him over the weekend to halt the move for failing to seek permission from the outfit before the commencement of the activity.
“They told me to stop the work that I’m doing and report to their office so that I formally seek permission to dredge the gutter in West Legon,” he told GhanaWeb.
However, MCE for the Assembly Sandra Owusu-Ahinkorah in a statement denied the media reports explaining that he was dredging a major storm drain that links Ayawaso West and Okai Kwei North Municipalities.
According to her, such works are carried out under the supervision of experts such as Municipal, Highway and or Hydro Engineers and Mr Dumelo was undertaking the exercise without these experts.
She acknowledged that her outfit invited him for a meeting with the Municipal Urban Roads and Workers Directors to encourage him to liaise appropriately with departments at the Assembly for effective supervision.
The statement read “our attention has been drawn to media reports that the Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly has stopped Mr. John Dumelo from carrying out dredging activities in the municipality. We want to put it on record that the said report is FALSE.”
Read the full statement:
“It is unfortunate that people will for whatever reason put a spin on an invitation we made to Mr. Dumelo as a Stop notice.
Whilst it is true that my outfit invited him for a meeting with the Municipal Urban Roads and Workers Directors, it was to encourage him to liaise appropriately with departments at the Assembly for effective supervision.
The Assembly is doing its best in tackling the numerous challenges facing the municipality,
individuals can take care of some challenges if it posses a nuisance to them. The Local Government Act also requires that if a persons activities will pose a problem to the public the Assembly should intervene.
In the case regarding Mr. Dumelo, he is dredging a major storm drain that links Ayawaso West and Okai Kwei North Municipalities. Such works are carried out under the supervision of experts such as Municipal, Highway and or Hydro Engineers. Mr. Dumelo is undertaking this exercise without these experts.
Dredging is a major activity that requires expert advice from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other agencies of state.
We therefore invited him to draw his attention to these facts and to encourage him to seek assistance from the Municipality as required by law.
The Municipal Assembly will support all private efforts aimed at community development regardless of motive.
The public is therefore called upon to disregard the falsehood and the mischief the publication sought to create.”
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5fm
