Assembly Members of the Ga East District Assembly are expected to hold an emergency meeting over Sheikh Ibrahim Cudjoe Quaye, Greater Accra Regional Minister's alleged involvement in transacting a business deal on behalf of the assembly. Baba Abudulai Zakaria, the Presiding Member of the assembly in an exclusive interview with The Statesman gave the hint and indicated that members feel slighted because due procedure was not followed. The deal involves the acquisition of land for which the Regional Minister was alleged to have authorised the payment of ¢400 million to the Presby Church of Abokobi, the purported landowners, at the district headquarters. In addition, the assembly is to pay 10 percent annual fee to the landowners. According to the Presiding Member, the assembly which is the highest decision making body in January 2007, arrived at a resolution rejecting the deal because the Chief of Abokobi had offered a free parcel of land to the assembly. He said what the Regional Minister has done amounts to "contempt of the assembly" and has caused financial loss for which the implications could be dire. Mr Zakaria wondered why the District Chief Executive of the assembly paid for the land without proper procedure and documentation. He noted that the growing assembly is not in a financial position to engage in such an expensive and unnecessary transaction when schools, road networks, and other development projects need urgent attention in the area. Asked what action the assembly intends to pursue, the PM offered that the assembly first demands an apology from those who participated in the deal and whoever authorised the payment. The assembly takes the final decision at its next general meeting. Sheikh I.C Quaye, in response to the allegation leveled against him told this paper he never took part in the negotiation for the acquisition of the land. He, however, admitted supporting the idea of acquiring the land which is supposed to be used to build offices and official residence for the DCE. The Regional Minister explained that it was a collective decision that a token of ¢400 million be paid instead of ¢1.3 billion initially proposed by the landowners. He expressed surprise that the PM is talking about acquiring the land for free. According to Sheikh I C Quaye, the DCE made the payment on behalf of the assembly and therefore it is expected that due procedure might have been followed. Sounding furious, the Regional Minister said the assembly has no power to summon him to appear before it because their functions differ. Culled from The Statesman