The Director at the Faculty of Academic Affairs and Research at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), Prof. Kwesi Aning, has called for the resignation of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), Abdul Mumin Issah.
According to him, the action exhibited by the MCE disregards the national security strategy to ensure safe governance. Prof Aning explained that the situation demands that government establishes effective political security education to forestall future occurrences.
Prof Aning’s comments follow the arrest of the MCE by the Western Regional Police Command on Thursday for an alleged motor traffic offence. Abdul Mumin Issah is revealed to have verbally assaulted a police officer who was performing his lawful duty.
“The man should be out of office. I mean he shouldn’t wait for the President to suspend him. I think he should give the President a free hand by quitting his job”.
Prof Kwesi Aning
Prof Aning indicated that the arrest of the MCE sends a strong signal to the political class that they cannot disregard the laws of the country. He noted that the action taken by the police to an extent dispels misconceptions on how power between political heads and the security heads works.
“I think what Mr. Dampare has demonstrated is that although we must all be pulling in the same direction, we pull in that direction predictive of the rule of law and the respect for human rights. The fact that you are paid or you have your own money is nobody’s business”.
Prof Kwesi Aning
Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), Abdul Mumin Issah
MCE charged with three counts of assault
Following Abdul Mumin Issah’s arrest on Thursday, he has been charged on three counts of assault of a public officer, offensive conduct conducive to breaches of the peace and disturbing the peace in a public place contrary to Sections 205, 207 and 298, respectively, of the Criminal and Other Offences Act of 1960, Act 29.
On Friday February 4, 2022, however, Abdul Mumin Issah was put before the Takoradi Circuit Court ‘A’ where he pleaded not guilty to the three charges levelled against him. At the end of proceedings, he was granted a GH¢100,000 self-recognisance bail with three sureties. The case was then adjourned to March 17, 2022.
Following this, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo suspended the MCE via a statement signed by the Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Dan Botwe, revealing that an inquiry into his conduct has also begun.
“On the instructions of the President, the Metropolitan Chief Executive for Sekondi-Takoradi Assembly, Mr. Abdul Mumin Issah has been suspended from office with immediate effect pending an inquiry into his encounter with the Police on February 3, 2022… Without prejudice to the matter now before court, government takes a very dim view of the comments made by the Metropolitan Chief Executive during his exchanges with the Police”.
President Akufo-Addo
The statement expressed that the comments by the MCE run contrary to the government’s belief and work to ensure that the security agencies and public agencies are resourced, empowered and accorded the respect to deliver on their mandates.
In the interim, it noted that, Hon. Western Regional Minister, Mr. Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah has been assigned additional supervisory authority over the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly.
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