A former Member of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) in the erstwhile Mahama administration Francis Dodovi has lashed out at the new Kumasi Mayor Osei Assibey Antwi over his contractors debts claims asking him (mayor) to stop talking like a class one pupil.
A livid Dodovi challenged Mr Osei Assibey to produce names of old mayors who failed to settle contractors’ debts under their tenure.
He further admonished him (Osei Assibey) to mention names of ex-mayors who signed fake contracts.
Reading his first sectional address on the floor of the assembly on Thursday, the new Kumasi Mayor revealed that majority of the contractors lacked formal contracts with the assembly.
According to him, the contractual agreements were fictitious.
Mr Osei Assibey added that the assembly’s judgement debt increased from six million Ghana cedis to over fifty million between October-December 31, 2016 when the then Regional Minister, Alexander Ackon was appointed to be in charge of the assembly.
But speaking on Abusua FM’s Abusua Nkommo with sit-in-host Austine Wood, Mr Dodovi charged Mr Osei Assibey to desist from making vague statements and mention names of mayors who signed fake contracts under their watch.
‘He should stop talking like a class one pupil, and mention names of the previous mayors who signed fake contracts. If its Samuel Sarpong, Kojo Bonsu, Madam Patricia Appiagyei or Maxwell Kofi Jumah, he should not hesitate to name and shame. He should also mention the companies which also signed fake contracts with the assembly,’ he fumed.
Touching on the new mayor’s claims on the judgement debt, the Former Special Assistant to the former Regional Minister debunked allegations that KMA judgement debt portfolio increased three months to elections after his boss acted in that position.
He challenged the new Mayor to back his allegations with proof and desist from throwing dust in the eyes of the public just to satisfy his political will.
According to him, the judgment debts, of which KMA is battling some in court was accrued years ago and not under his boss’ regime.
‘If the new Mayor wants to be truthful, KMA had 44 court cases with regards to judgment debts before Mr Ackon was appointed to act in that position. The Mayor is acting holier than thou, blaming Mr Ackon of mismanagement who doesn’t have the the country’s issues at heart. This is display of dishonesty at the highest level. Mr Osei Assibey just want to paint the erstwhile Mahama administration black. He should come out and explain the judgement debts according to the years and companies and stop talking in a vacuum. He should also explain the reasons behind the debts to Ghanaians,’ he pointed out.
According to the new Mayor, the assembly’s debt books were riddled with a hundred and nineteen million two hundred and thirteen thousand three hundred and thirty three cedis and twenty two pesewas (GHC 119,213,333.22) out of which fifty million six hundred and two thousand eight hundred and seventy four cedis (GHC50 602 874) constituted judgement debts.
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