The apprehended tricycle riders were made to collect the refuse they left on the motorway to the Kpone land fill site in Tema to serve as a deterrent.

The TMA has further warned that it will deal ruthlessly with offenders if they do not desist from being public nuisance.

The Assembly hopes to engage the Ghana Highway Authority to ban these tricycle riders from moving on the highway as part of efforts to curb their illegal activities.

Felix Mensah-La, Mayor of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly speaking to Citi News said, “We as an Assembly cannot sit down for them to continue to dump refuse on the Motorway, so today for instance the special task-force together with the police arrested about 25 ‘aboboyas’ (tricycles). We are saying this to both the Aboboya Associations in Accra and those ones we have in Tema; they are in to do business and should do fair business with the Assembly. If they continue to behave this way we will take action against them.”

Background

For some months now, some refuse collectors in the city of Tema have adopted a very unhealthy approach of disposing refuse. They collect  the waste from homes by dumping them on the major highways in the country.

The major culprits in  this act are the tricycle riders who according to eyewitnesses pretend to have a fault with their tricycles and end up offloading their refuse load at those spots.

The acts of these unscrupulous folks have turned various parts of the Accra-Tema Motorway into an eyesore with a very foul stench.

The Accra-Tema Motorway is suffering the brunt of the illegality as refuse collectors who use tricycles, in an attempt to make more money, dispose the waste meant for landfill sites in the median of the motorway.

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By: Michael Ogbodu/citifmonline.com

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According to the Assembly, it was going to give an opportunity to Mr. Ahenkorah to explain the alleged actions that led to his initial 6-month suspension, since the decision was taken without his presence.

[contextly_sidebar id=”2kmOP4FrYSglTqPweaozJBUcGesLc9KE”] The MP was expected to appear before the Assembly to apologize before the suspension could be lifted, but he blatantly ignored the Assembly, and yet his suspension was lifted.

Citi News sources say the MCE was pushed by unseen hands to take the decision or lose his job.

The reversal of his suspension came after an appeal against the ban by the Municipal Chief Executive to the Assembly members on behalf of the MP.

The decision to suspend Mr. Ahenkorah was taken by the Public Relations and Complaints Committee (PRCC) of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly chaired by the presiding member of the Assembly, Richard Fiadomor earlier this week.

The committee’s decision to punish Mr. Ahenkorah occurred after he was alleged to have attacked the TMA Works Engineer who was supervising the demolition of unauthorized structures erected on the edges of a road in the area.

The unauthorized structures, according to the Engineer, Maxwell Adu Boateng, were obstructing movement and traffic along the stretch hence the exercise.

Carlos Ahenkorah, who got wind of the exercise rushed to the site, allegedly attacked the TMA task-force and prevented them from demolishing the properties at the Cocoa village.

According to Mr. Fiadomor, the PRCC found the conduct of Mr. Ahenkorah unfortunate hence the suspension.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Carlos Ahenkorah snubs TMA; but gets suspension lifted appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The decision was taken by the Public Relations and Complaints Committee (PRCC) of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly chaired by the presiding member of the Assembly, Richard Fiadomor.

Carlos Ahenkorah lost his cool last week when he attacked the Tema Metropolitan Assembly Works Engineer who was supervising the demolition of unauthorized structures erected on the edges of a road in the area.

The unauthorized structures, according to the Engineer, Maxwell Adu Boateng, were obstructing movement and traffic along the stretch hence the exercise.

Carlos Ahenkorah, who got wind of the exercise rushed to the site, allegedly attacked the TMA task-force and prevented them from demolishing the properties at the Cocoa village.

According to Mr. Fiadomor, the PRCC found the conduct of Mr. Ahenkorah unfortunate hence the suspension.

The MP, who was invited to defend his actions failed to turn up at the General Assembly meeting which is presently underway.

Two other Assembly members accused of also raining insults on the Metropolitan Chief Executive of TMA during a similar exercise in the Tema East constituency, have also been slapped with a total of 5 months suspension.

One was slapped with two months and the other, three months.

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By: Elvis Washington/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post TMA suspends Carlos Ahenkorah over demolition exercise appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Mr. Felix Mensah Nii Annan-La made this known during a visit to some slums within the Tema Metropolis to assess the level of encroachment on the wetlands as part of his Tema Restoration Agenda.

[contextly_sidebar id=”eWqgFRcFkYHwgMph9dTwKYSecKNKHahl”]Talking about slum development in Tema to the press, he observed how certain persons had taken over a stretch of land earmarked for the construction of a road through Community 18, and had developed the place into a slum settlement called ‘Kiosk Estate’ thereby destroying the beauty of the community.

He said, “you know it’s a road, and I will see the Road Minister to see what we can do about it, because there are beautiful buildings here which need the road to link them to other parts of the metropolis.”

He also said there were businesses springing up in the area, and the ‘Kiosk Estate’ was a hindrance to their success adding, “these are projects can employ a number of Ghanaians and this slum is preventing these businesses from moving forward, and I think we have to assist them.”

Ms. Stella Medowokpor, who lived in the slum community with her brother, said it was a sad issue considering government’s decision to eject them because they did not have anywhere else to go.

“I plead with government to have mercy on us and look for an alternative place for us to settle,” she prayed.

Ms. Medowokpor who hailed from the Volta Region of Ghana had stayed in the area for nearly five years and had her livelihood there.

“I work here and go to another kiosk down there to sleep. This provision shop is what supports me financially,” she informed.

Ms. Gloria Asantewaa, also a resident of the slum, hinted on the challenges they faced living in such a community.

“We have many problems. Some of which are the rampant stealing of our properties and the fact that we don’t have a place to buy medicine when we fall sick,” he informed.

She said she was compelled to stay there because she could not afford the higher rent charges in other areas of the Metropolis adding “we pay 30 Ghana Cedis as rent to the kiosk owners, which is reasonable compared to high rates charged elsewhere.”

The MCE, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) assured the squatters that the Assembly would come out with some settlement plan before the demolishing exercise.

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Source: GNA

The post Assembly to demolish ‘kiosk estate’ in Tema appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Mr. Ashitey-Amarh, who contested the Tema East Constituency parliamentary seat on the ticket of the NPP in 2015, but lost to Titus Glover in a telephone interview, has congratulated Felix Mensah-La, who was named on Wednesday as the incoming Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive.

“Yes, the President has made his choice and we must all support him to move Tema forward. Though I was hoping to be named, I still respect the President’s choice and together with my supporters we will respect the decision” he noted

Speaking in an interview, Mr. Ashitey-Amarh noted that, though he lost the bid to serve the people of Tema as Metropolitan Chief Executive, he believes the President in his own wisdom knows best and there is the need to embrace his choice.

“Though I lost the bid to serve Tema as MCE, I believe there are better days ahead and I think the President in his own wisdom knows what is best for the people hence his decision”

He called on the people of Tema to put aside all pain and anger and rally behind Felix Mensah-La to develop Tema.

“Tema has come a long way and there is the need to have a leader who can develop it to the admiration of all” he noted

“I want to assure all my supporters and followers not to be heartbroken but throw their maximum support behind Felix Mensah-La to develop Tema since Tema is supreme.”

Mr. Ashitey-Amarh further expressed his profound gratitude to the President, the Greater Accra Regional Chairman and Minister Ishmael Ashitey, Greater Accra Regional executives, the Tema Traditional Council and all stakeholders who have been of maximum support to him throughout the period.

He further promised to continue to work hard in the interest of the party to ensure it continues to enjoy the glory it currently enjoys in the Tema area.

He also urged the incoming MCE of Tema to see his appointment as a great opportunity to serve the people and ensure its growth and development.

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By: Elvis Washington/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Benjamin Ashitey-Amarh backs Nana Addo’s Tema MCE nominee appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.