Stakeholders in the Asante Akyem South Municipality, in the Ashanti region, especially the Youth, New Patriotic Party (NPP) executives and members as well as the all chiefs, have debunked as complete falsehood reports that the MunicipalChief Executive, Alexander Frimpong, is engaged in galamsey activitiesin the area.
Currently, according to the youth, the directive of Hon. Alexander Frimpong has led to the arrest of three (3) illegal miners who were mining on the PRA River at Kokoben, a boundary town between Asante Akim south and New Abirem. The 3 suspects are currently at the grips of the municipal police command and have been arraigned. The next sitting for this case is 18th may 2021.
“Since the ban on illegal mining by his Excellency the President, Hon. Alexander has on record fought against the activities of illegal miners in the municipality. Records available indicates that, as Chairman of the municipal security council, he has on many occasions directed the police to embark on regular monitoring on the mining communities to arrest illegal miners on the Pra and Enum rivers. There has been several instances where he has involved directly in the monitoring of the mining areas to have firsthand information on the activities of these illegal miners and bring to the attention of the security officers to effect arrest and prosecute them,” a statement released by the youth in defense of the MCE intimated.
The MCE Alexander Frimpong, this paper gathered independently, is so popular that he was very instrumental in the party and MP wining by a wider margin in the just ended election, which saw the New Patriotic Party(NPP) retaining power.
The selflessness of the MCE has gained him more support from all especially the chiefs in the area who came together to petition the president for his reappointment as MCE. His hard work and collaboration with the constituency executives and Hon.MP and Deputy Minister-designate for Railways,Hon.lawyerKwaku Asante Boateng, left us with no option than to petition the President to retain him for the development of the municipality.
Read the full unedited rebuttal from the youth below:
RE: Asante Akyem south Residents Expose MCE ….Over Galamsey
Our attention has been drawn to a publication which suggests that the Municipal Chief Executive for Asante Akim south municipality is involved in Galamsey activities in the municipality.
We wish to clearly state that the publication is false, it’s an attempt by some unscrupulous persons to tarnish his hard won reputation.
Since the ban on illegal mining by his Excellency the President, Hon. Alexander has on record fought against the activities of illegal miners in the municipality. Records available indicates that, as Chairman of the municipal security council, he has on many occasions directed the police to embark on regular monitoring on the mining communities to arrest illegal miners on the Pra and Enum rivers. There has been several instances where he has involved directly in the monitoring of the mining areas to have firsthand information on the activities of these illegal miners and bring to the attention of the security officers to effect arrest and prosecute them.
Currently, the directive of Hon. Alexander Frimpong has led to the arrest of three (3) illegal miners who were mining on the PRA River at Kokoben, a boundary town between Asante Akim south and New Abirem. The 3 suspects are currently at the grips of the municipal police command and have been arraigned before Juaso Circuit court for prosecution. The next sitting for this case is 18th may 2021. This can be verified from the Juaso Circuit Court or the municipal police command.
With these evidence of hard work by the MCE to clamp down the activities of illegal miners. We suspect that the people behind these allegations are interested in the position of MCE themselves or are fighting for other(s) to be appointed. It is our utmost believe that our diligent President will not base on hearsay to take action against such a hardworking MCE who is doing everything right to enforce the vision of the president, if anything at all, investigations will be conducted into this issue to ascertain the truth or otherwise. Hon Alexander Frimpong is so much loved by our people.
In the same publication, it’s alleged that the MCE spent GH¢300, 000 on renovation of his official bungalow. This is another orchestration aimed at achieving a diabolic agenda to destroy the hard won reputation of the MCE. The municipal Assembly on the renovation of the official bungalow spent less than 10% of the amount mischievously quoted in the write up. Records on expenditure on the renovation can be traced in GIFMIS system and this can be verified by any interested party without any difficulty.
It is surprising that, those behind this plot to bring the MCE down could raise issues of suspension of some party polling station officials and blame it on the MCE. This shows that they don’t even understand the party structures but on rampage making needless noise as if they are more NPP than anyone else. Suspension of party officials is not and cannot be the duty of a Municipal Chief Executive. It is the constituency executive committee that effected the suspension after it was established that those individuals has flouted party rules. Hon. Alexander Frimpong is very peaceful and tolerant person who will not in any way influence party constituency executive decisions for anything.
The selflessness of the MCE has gained him more support from all especially the chiefs in the area who came together to petition the president for his reappointment as MCE. His hard work and collaboration with the constituency executives and Hon.MP and Deputy Minister Designate for Railways,Hon.lawyerKwaku Asante Boateng, left us with no option than to petition the president to retain him for the development of the municipality.
We accordingly urge the public to disregard the publication and treat it with the contempt it deserves.
Thanks.
Adams Yussif
Constituency communications officer, NPP
Asante Akim South.