Alima Mahama (R) in a chat with Osei Assibey
Judgement debts of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) inherited from the previous administration have reduced sharply.
This follows an important court case which the assembly won at the Appeal Court, Kumasi Mayor, Osei Assibey Antwi, has announced.
According to him “The assembly’s judgement debt stock of GH¢50.6 million has reduced by GH¢42.4 million, courtesy the Appeal Court ruling in favour of KMA.”
He, however, noted that “the judgement debt creditor, FD Freko Enterprise has however announced her intention to contest the case at the Supreme Court.”
The Kumasi Mayor disclosed that the KMA had engaged some lawyers to assist the Assembly’s solicitor to review all cases pending before courts.
Osei Assibey disclosed this while briefing the Local Government Minister, Alima Mahama, who paid a courtesy call on him at his office on Monday morning.
The Local Government Minister was embarking on a two-day tour of Kumasi to inspect ingoing projects in the city linked to her ministry.
She inspected projects such as the UDG and GUMPP, among others.
The Kumasi Mayor also announced that the KMA had made some payments which have contributed to a sharp reduction in the assembly’s debt.
“Following a few payments, KMA’s debt reduced from GH¢119.2 million in January, 2017 to GH¢118.9 million,” Osei Assibey indicated.
He said the KMA’s biggest challenge has to do with GH¢63.8 million debt owed to waste management service providers, notably J. Stanley Owusu.
Begs For Bailout
Mr Osei Assibey called for financial bailout from the Ministry Local Government owing to the colossal amount of money owed management firms.
“The biggest challenge has to do with a GH¢63.8 million debt owed to waste management service providers, especially J. Stanley Owusu, who manages the assembly’s landfill site and demands not less than GH¢100,000.00 per month from the KMA to meet minimum operations at the site, while it takes steps to pay up GH¢56.8 million the assembly owes him from previous operations.
“Between January and March, 2017, KMA had a total bill of GH¢3.3 million to settle with J. Stanley Owusu. The situation calls for financial bailout from the ministry,” the Kumasi Mayor declared.
Mr Osei Assibey announced that his administration was working around the clock to help make Kumasi green and clean once again, assuring that Kumasi would reclaim its past glory soon.
From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi