The Ashanti Regional Director of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Kwabena Nsenkyire has warned the incoming Mayor for Kumasi against taking ‘gifts’ from businessmen and traders in the capital.
He believes these business people trap the Mayor with these gifts, preventing him from taking drastic decisions that could have prevented problems like the recent flooding in Kumasi.
According to him, the Mayor can only execute his mandate effectively if he abstains from taking gifts, no matter how harmless they seem. “My prayer is that the next Kumasi Mayor should take few to no gifts from business people and traders. If he does that, he can do the job. Some people might come and pay courtesy calls with cows, sheep etc and if the Mayor takes all these things, it’ll be very difficult for them to perform. There is no free lunch anywhere,” he intimated.
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Speaking to Happy98.9FM’s Don Kwabena Prah on the Epa Hoa Daben political talk show, he cited the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey as an example of a political office holder not being restricted in executing his mandate. “If Henry Quartey had taken gifts, do you believe he could’ve done the work he has been doing? If you take gifts you can never say anything if illegality is being perpetuated.”
He clarified that his position does not mean past Kumasi Mayors took gifts from traders or were corrupt.
Kwabena Nsenkyire also indicated that the assembly will soon remove unauthorized structures from waterways.
Major parts of the Kumasi Metropolis on Monday were flooded after torrential rains in the Ashanti Regional capital.
The downpour lasted for about three hours. The areas that got flooded included Adum, Kejetia, Atonsu-Ahinsan, Santasi TUC, among others.
Some residents in Kumasi described the development as worrying.
Frustrated residents who blamed the flooding on the poor drainage systems in the area are thus calling on city authorities to develop a strategic plan to address issues related to flooding within the metropolis.
