Aftermath of Pokuase Interchange fufu pounding episode: G/A Regional Minister on warpath against indiscipline … charges presiding members to stamp it out

“The indiscipline in Accra must stop.” That is the charge of the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, to Presiding Members (PMs) of the various assemblies in the region.

Making reference to the viral video in which a man was seen pounding fufu at the newly commissioned Pokuase Interchange, Mr Quartey said it was unthinkable that a facility which is less than a month old would be subjected to such anti-national behaviour.

“You will recall that in the last 72 hours, a video emerged of a man pounding fufu at the Pokuase Interchange. This cannot be happening to a facility commissioned only about a month ago.

“If not stamped out before it grows, the next thing you would hear them ask is ‘where do we go’. The indiscipline must stop and you have a huge role to play in that regard.”

Mr Quartey made this demand of the PMs when he addressed them yesterday in Accra at their annual conference on the theme “Making Greater Accra Work; The Role of Local Assemblies”.

According to Mr Quartey, MP, Ayawaso Central, many more areas have been and continue to be hotspots for citizen indiscipline but gradually, with the collaboration of stakeholders across the region, steady progress was being made.

The areas he said include the Madina Zongo junction, Obetsebi Lamptey-Graphic Road- UTC stretch, Accra Central, and the relocation of bulk onion traders from Agbogbloshie to Adjen Kotoku all in a bid to rid the city of indiscipline and filth.

He said when the team went to the Graphic Road area to evict the squatters from there, “it came to light that over the period that they have been there, they were using water and electricity for free.

“How do you expect the economy to run when over thousands of people are using electricity and water for free for over 20 years?”  

Tasking the Presiding Members to assist their Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives to take charge of their various spaces and stamp out indiscipline, Mr Quartey said the gains made so far in the ‘Let’s Make Accra Work’ initiative would not be sustained if it had to take his outfit to get involved at every step of the way.

The Assemblies, he said, have been lambasted for uncontrolled developments, poor sanitation, lack of provision of basic services, sprawling of informal settlements, financial improprieties and justifiably so as evident by the Auditor General’s reports. 

“You must rise to the occasion by taking advantage of the goodwill created by the agenda to provide the leadership required to change the narrative. It is about time we rid the city of this indiscipline because Ghana is Accra and Accra is Ghana.”

Head of the Local Government Service, Dr Nana Ato Arthur, on his part said the Minister could only succeed if the Assembly Members, PMs and Chief Executives threw their weight behind the initiative.

Entreating presiding members to deepen collaboration with assembly members and staff of the assemblies for effective administration, Dr Arthur urged the Assemblies to “cut your coat according to your size” in awarding contracts.

Dean of the PMs, Joseph Korto, pledged the full cooperation and support for the initiative and appealed that their conditions are improved.

BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI