Audio By Carbonatix
The Minority in Parliament is alleging complicity by the presidency in the Mayor of Accra's controversial decision to scrap the name of Ghana’s national flag designer, Theodosia Okoh from the National Hockey pitch and replace it with that of the late President John Evans Atta Mills.
The Minority therefore wants a decisive action from President John Mahama to inflict the full penalty on Alfred Vanderpuye, the Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly.
Moreover, the NPP in Parliament insisted that the Presidency should take a huge chunk of the blame and apologize to Ghanaians for the embarrassment.
The minority ranking member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Youth, Sports and Culture, Isaac Asiamah told Joy FM's Top Story, Friday, that the decision by the AMA boss should "never be tolerated or accepted... he needs to suffer the consequence".
Though the Chief of Staff, Proper Bani said the decision was taken without recourse to the presidency and ordered a reversal of the decision, Mr Isaac Asiamah said the directive rather exposed the "hypocrisy" at the Office of the President. Unconvinced by the directive, he described the whole back and forth with regards to the renaming as "strange".
He buttressed his assertion on previous events where national assets were renamed under the late John Mills' administration. He cited the renaming of the Ohene Gyan Sports Stadium and the Golden Jubilee House to the Accra Sports Stadium and Flagstaff House respectively.
The decision by the AMA "cannot be a mistake or action by an individual", the MP claimed, adding "government feels so much embarrassed and want to save its image."
He said to avoid a recurrent of any such "dangerous development" as exhibited by Alfred Vanderpuje, there is the need for the enactment of a "decent modern bill" to outline renaming of national assets.
Meanwhile, Dr. Franklin Aduro, Deputy Director at the Centre for Democratic Governance, maintained that Mr Vanderpuje's action "is not new in our governance system".
Citing an instance in 2004 where a district chief executive in the Volta Region renamed a shopping mall after himself, Dr Oduro suggested that the country streamlined its protocol in renaming state's edifice.
He said a clear policy or legislation would define the parameter in which metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies can operate.
He also wants the way political leaders exercise their powers checked.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Tags:
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Latest Stories
-
Petty rivalries among Volta chiefs, politicians hindering region’s development – Kwamigah-Atokple
1 minute -
Money supply increases to 28.5% year-on-year in June 2026
4 minutes -
Volta Region needs investments that create jobs, build local capacity – Kwamigah-Atokple
7 minutes -
Kwamigah-Atokple backs cancer research centre proposal for UHAS
10 minutes -
David Vondee calls for overhaul of English teaching methods after WASSCE decline
18 minutes -
Photos: Mahama Ayariga joins Accra traders to sweep streets during National Sanitation Day
21 minutes -
WAEC questions effectiveness of searches after phones found on candidates
23 minutes -
British Council launches ‘Study UK Alumni Awards’ to celebrate international UK alumni achievements
30 minutes -
Don’t admit students outside CSSPS — Education Minister warns SHS heads
41 minutes -
2026 WASSCE: WAEC withholds results of 270 candidates over suspected exam offences
47 minutes -
Digital strategy platform ‘Strategy Partner Pro’ launched
57 minutes -
Jaguar Land Rover to cut 4,000 jobs
1 hour -
Ghana moves to become Africa’s vaccine and pharmaceutical manufacturing hub
1 hour -
WAEC cancels entire results of 861 candidates over possession of mobile phones
1 hour -
Sunbeth Global Concepts redeems ₦25.1bn CP, demonstrating strong liquidity, investor confidence
1 hour