The presiding member of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly is threatening court action against the Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashitey for alleged interference in the activities of the AMA. According to Desmond Addo Biney, the regional minister is needlessly undermining the work of the AMA. The AMA and the Regional Minister’s office have had sour relations over the course of action to take against traders who sell on unapproved areas and residents whose houses are sited on water ways. Whilst the AMA has adopted a radical approach to tearing down illegally sited structures and ejecting squatters from unapproved locations, the minister advocates for a gradual approach and has in some instances intervened in the AMA's demolishing exercises. The latest threat by traders at the Novotel park in Accra to embark on a nude demonstration to the Castle if the AMA went ahead to forcefully eject them has deepened the near animosity between the two institutions. The Regional Minister has expressed misgivings over the AMA’s threat to forcefully eject the traders, but the AMA insists the Regional Minister is being unnecessarily disruptive. Speaking to Joy News’ Elvis Adjetey, the presiding member, Addo Biney said the Regional Minister is “drawing Accra back”. He argued that the AMA boss, Dr. Alfred Vanderpuije does not take instructions from the Regional Minister and warned him to back off or they will resort to the court. He also accused Nii Armah Ashitey of not attending meetings of the Assembly but only comes out to overrule the decisions after they have been taken. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana