The National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG) has charged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to discharge their duties in accordance with law and order to avoid any infractions.
“All MMDCEs must also be circumspect in their utterances when engaging the public since the public are stakeholders in the progress, growth and development of communities,” it cautioned.
The Association described as unfortunate the arrest of Abdul Mumin Issah, the Metropolitan Chief Executive for Sekondi-Takoradi, by the Western Regional Police Command on February 3, 2022 for an alleged motor traffic offence, verbal assault and offensive conduct against a police officer who was performing his lawful duty.
Bismark Baisie Nkum,the National President of NALAG, reacting to the issue after a regional delegates’ conference in Accra noted that all MMDCEs must be cautious when engaging public officials, however, when engaging them it must be done in accordance with law and order to prevent putting the name of the association in disrepute.
He indicated that in as much as the association condemned the utterances of their colleague, he also asked public officers to be responsible towards citizens adding that “we are not saying what Mr Issah did was right, but it is reactionary, I am taking this opportunity to ask MMDCEs to exercise patience and restraint in their discourse with the public and other agencies.
According to him, the public and other agencies render services to them, it is in the same vein I am calling on the police to see the citizenry as a client, unfortunately, the arrest of Mr Issah generated public reactions as most people condemned his actions against the police officer.
Mr Nkum said the police officer who was at the centre of the issue, on the other hand, was applauded by the public for staying professional in the heat of the moment and defended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s decision to suspend Mr Issah to allow for effective and efficient investigations since the president could appoint and at the same time dismiss due to the authority he wields to take such actions.
He advocated amendment of the constitutional provisions on payment of allowances to assembly members due to the duty of central government to pay an equitable and fair allowance to them. –citinewsroom.com
