Assembly retains Accra Mayor

It was a scene of spontaneous jubilation as the Mayor of Accra Metropolitan Assembly and Presiding Member (PM) were confirmed for a second and third term of office respectively on Sunday.

Polling 107 out of the 112 votes cast, Greater Accra Regional Director of the Electoral Commission, Alexander Poku Akubia announced Dr. Alfred Okoe Vanderpujie as the re-elected Chief Executive Officer of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly.

Mr Desmond Addo Biney, the Presiding Member, also polled 105 out 112 votes cast.

Both had more than the 2/3 majority of votes needed to retain them.

Supporters of Dr. Vanderpujie and the PM, who were at each other’s throat prior to the election because of misunderstanding, overwhelmingly voted for the two.

This followed a peace talk to resolve the differences between them.

Prior to that, some leaders of the Assembly called for a vote of no confidence to be passed on the PM. The atmosphere at the AMA office at the time was charged as supporters of both Dr Vanderpujie and Mr Biney gathered outside the main hall singing amidst drumming and dancing. Some were heard trading insults, accusations and counter accusations at each other.

Others thronged the AMA office wearing white apparels, T-Shirts with picture of Dr Vanderpujie, and arm bands to show their solidarity.

After his confirmation, Dr. Vanderpuije moved two motions to name one of the four millennium city schools located at Salvation Army cluster of schools compound at Larterbiokorshie sponsored by the USAID after US President Barack Obama. The project was at the cost of $2.7 million.

Another $300,000-dollar project is to be built at Nima in Accra by Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdul Aziz Alsaud. That would also be named after the Saudi Prince

Both motions were accepted by the Assembly.

Dr Vanderpuije elated by his confirmation told the media that his victory was a victory for Accra and added that development would continue in the area of education, sanitation and development of Accra’s markets.

While recognizing that more needed to be done in the area of sanitation, he pledged to put in place the necessary measures to rid the city of filth.

The Mission Statement of the AMA mandates the Mayor of Accra to improve the quality of life of the people of the City of Accra, especially the poor, vulnerable and the excluded.

He is to do this by providing and maintaining basic services and facilities in the areas of education, health, sanitation and other social amenities, in the context of discipline, a sense of urgency among others.

Source: GNA