THERE was jubilation during the annual general meeting of the Lower Manya Krobo District Assembly at Odumase-Krobo last Thursday when it was announced that Akuse had been confirmed to be part of the district.
The controversy over the once flourishing town near the Volta River, which had for a long time been the bone of contention between the Manya Krobo District in the Eastern Region and Dangbe West in the Greater Accra, with both claiming it, was settled by a Supreme Court ruling on July 23, this year, ceding it to Manya Krobo.
As soon as the District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr David Sackitey Asare, announced the ruling of the court, which was confirmed by the Presiding Member (PM), Mr Emmanuel Agyarko, the assembly members went into jubilation, making it difficult for the PM to control the proceedings.
Most of the assembly members, in their happy mood, expressed their satisfaction about the court’s ruling and called on the House to organise a victory parade in the town on September 27, this year.
The House also suggested that the people whose efforts led to the declaration of Akuse’s new status should be acknowledged and possibly rewarded.
They were the late Konor of Manya Krobo, Nene Mate Kole; the present Konor, Nene Sakitey; Nene Sasraku 1V, acting Konor; Nene Asada Ahor, the Chief of Akuse; Mr Sackitey Asare, the DCE; Mr Agyarko and the six assembly members from the Akuse area, who, despite the problem, continued to attend the assembly meetings.
In his speech, Mr Sackitey Asare said now that the issue of Akuse had been resolved, all revenues that the Volta River Authority should have paid to the district assembly, but had been withheld due to the uncertainty over the status of the town, would now flow in to the assembly.
That, he stated, would make it possible to develop the district, especially communities that were adversely affected by the construction of the Kpong Dam.
For his part, Nene Sasraku expressed happiness over the court ruling and stated that the Manya Traditional Council would partner the assembly to bring development to Akuse, which, he said, had suffered over the years as a result of the unfortunate incident.
Addressing the House later, Mr Sackitey Asare said apart from a number of social amenities that had been provided, construction work on additional ones would soon begin.
The projects include extension of electricity to five communities, the tarring of Asite town roads, Atua Hospital-Mount Mary, Nuaso town, Airport-Agbom-Ablotsi, and Odumase-Junction-Public Cemetery roads, Akuse town roads and the Kpong Kotokoli-Ahudzo road.
Other projects, which would be funded by the European Union, are teachers’ bungalows at Obelemanya and Oborpa East, a culvert at Abanse, a modern public place of convenience at Lorlornyo and a school building at Kpong.
Mr Sackitey Asare said the assembly had also taken delivery of 12 skip-loader refuse containers to augment 10 others to improve sanitation in the area.
With regard to the financial standing of the assembly, Mr Sackitey stated that although it had received its quarter allocation of the District Assemblies Common Fund of GH¢42,556.29, the situation was still a serious one, because from January to July, this year, a total revenue of GH¢68,517.21, out of a projected figure of GH¢155,018.46, representing 44 per cent had been collected.
He, however, stated that the assembly had expended GH¢115,000.63 out of its budget of GH¢188,777.48, adding that such a precarious situation had led to the assembly’s indebtedness to a number of service providers, workers and other institutions.
The DCE, therefore, implored the revenue collectors to intensify their activities.
As regards the report on the dispute over the limestone-rich deposits along the common border between Manya Krobo and Yilo Krobo, which were being claimed by both traditional areas, he stated that it had not been accepted by the two parties, and, therefore, appealed to them to passionately study it to ensure a lasting solution to the problem.
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