The Swedruman Council of Chiefs had expressed grave concern about the inability of Agona West Municipal Assembly to use its vested powers to demolish unauthorised structures impeding economic and social development.

According to the Council, it was also sad that the Swedru main lorry park purposely constructed for vehicles, had been turned into a market for traders and hawkers.

Nana Kweku Esieni V, the Regent of Agona Swedru and President of the Council expressed these concerns when he addressed members at an end-of-year meeting at Agona Swedru in the Central Region.

He attributed the upsurge of unauthorised structures in the Swedru township to weak monitoring and inspection by officials of the Physical Planning Unit of the Assembly.

Nana Esieni, who is also the Nifahene of Agona Swedru pledged the preparedness of Council members to partner with the Assembly to demolish all unauthorised structures springing up in the Municipality.

He said the Swedruman Council was also ready to lead the Authorities of the Assembly to decongest the streets to stop shop and store owners who have displayed their wares on the pavements.

The Nifahene said it was ‘disgusting’ that passers-by found it extremely difficult to use the pavements, thereby, competing with vehicles for space, stressing that “as custodians of the land, we will not sit down unconcerned for disaster to strike before we act.”

The Chief added that per the numerous reports received from groups and individuals, disaster may strike if nothing was done immediately and reminded the Assembly that it was its responsibility to correct that anomaly.

Nana Esieni said the Assembly must extend its property rate collection to other towns like Agona Nyakrom, Agona Nkum, Kwamang, Agona Abodom and Lower and Upper Bobikuma to increase its revenue targets.

He appealed to the authorities of the Assembly to closely monitor revenue collectors to avert fraudulent activities to help increase its revenue because it could not afford to wait for the Central Government to release Common funds before undertaking physical structures.

On his part, Mr Evans Onomah Coleman, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Agona West acknowledged that the monitoring and inspection of physical structures have not been encouraging and gave the assurance that the Assembly would step up works to stop illegal structures before they developed.

On revenue collection, the MCE hinted that measures had been put in place to ensure that the loopholes in revenue collection were plugged to stop the diversion of internally generated funds.

The MCE assured that the Assembly would take immediate steps to drive away hawkers and traders, especially foodstuff sellers who had invaded the lorry park to avert future disasters.

Mr Onomah Coleman officially introduced four officers recently posted to the Area to the Swedruman Council.

They are Mr Simon Asare, Municipal Coordinating Director, Edward Andoh – Municipal Works Engineer, Mr Obed Agyepong -Physical Planning Officer and Ms Mabel Oteng, Assistant Director 1.