THE CHIEF of Mamponteng, capital of the Kwabre East Municipal Assembly KEMA), in the Ashanti Region, Barima Saasi Ayeboafo II, has bemoaned the poor state of infrastructural development in the town.
The chief expressed disappointment over systemic discontinuation of development projects initiated in Mamponteng to bring it to a status befitting a municipality.
Currently, Mamponteng does not boast of a single completed developmental project, as markets which were started in the 2000s under former District Chief Executive, Alhaji Akwasi Yeboah’s tenure during the Kufuor administration are yet to be completed.
Also, construction works on a 5.5-kilometre Mamponteng town road network which began in the early part of 2020 was abandoned a few months later, leaving uncovered dugouts, thereby worsening the condition of the road network, and endangering the lives of the residents.
Three women and a man have reportedly broken their legs after falling into some of the uncovered drains and trenches in front of their houses.
It is not clear what could have led the contractor to abandon the project, but it is rumoured that construction works were abruptly stopped after money meant to be paid to the construction firm for works to continue was allegedly embezzled.
Residents have blamed the poor state of infrastructural development in Mamponteng on past and present political leaders in the area, especially Members of Parliament and Municipal Chief Executives.
In her recent meeting with the chief of Mamponteng, the current MP for the area, Francisca Oteng-Mensah, promised to bring more developmental projects to the constituency in her second term.
She assured the chiefs her preparedness to bring home the constituency’s fair share of national cake, adding that all she needed was the total support of the traditional leaders.
Francisca Oteng-Mensah assured Barima Saasi Ayeboafo II and his people of her readiness to ensure that construction works resumed on the Mamponteng town roads.
The MP also promised to complete the Mampongteng market which has been abandoned over decades, disclosing that talks were far advanced to restart the project.
Barima Saasi Ayeboafo II, thanked the MP for her visit and congratulated her on her re-election as the MP for the area, but urged her to honour her promises.
“Though you hail from Mamponteng, you are not obligated to bring all the major projects to this community but to ensure that all the communities under Kwabre East get their fair share of the projects you bring,” he advised her.
The chief, however, appealed to the MP not to deny Mamponteng what it deserves since it is the capital of Kwabre East Municipality.
For her part, Nana Kyerew Akenten, the queen mother of Mamponteng, congratulated the MP on her re-election, and urged her to keep her promises of bringing infrastructural development to the area.
From James Quansah & David Afum, Kumasi