Suhum MCE In Hot Waters

SAMUEL FLEISCHER Kwabi, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Suhum, is in hot waters over some GH�26,700 debt. He has been ordered by a Koforidua High Court to pay the money in favour of one Nana Antwi Adjei, who had hauled him before the Suhum Kraboa Coaltar District Court. The court further ordered the seizure of the official vehicle of the MCE; a black Nissan Patrol registered GN1791-11 and a tractor to be given to the plaintiff. This is as a result of the MCE�s failure to hand over a tractor, which was auctioned under the erstwhile Kufuor Administration and subsequently bought by Nana Antwi Adjei, at an alleged amount of GH�500 somewhere in December 2008. However, upon his assumption of office as the then District Chief Executive (DCE) of Suhum Kraboa Coaltar District Assembly, Fleischer Kwabi, by his own decision and stubbornness refused to hand over the tractor to Nana Antwi for obvious reasons. After almost three years, Nana Antwi decided somewhere 2011 to sue the DCE, who is now the MCE of the newly created Suhum Municipal Assembly, to claim benefits which would have accrued from the tractor, if he had hired it over the period the MCE denied him access. The cost according to sources were calculated over the period it was bought till date at GH�50 per day excluding Sundays . The calculation mentioned the amount due the plaintiff as GH�26,700.00. Sources close to the Suhum Municipal Assembly say Samuel Fleischer was the first respondent, while the assembly was the second respondent in the matter. The MCE, after losing the case, have held series of emergency meetings with the Municipal Assembly urging that the debt be paid from the Assembly�s common fund. The Assembly members have, however, refused since the assembly had no direct involvement in the case. �My sister the decision not to give the tractor to Nana Antwi was solely taken by the MCE. He claimed the price at which the tractor was auctioned was too low. He now wants to pay the debt with the Assembly�s common fund but we say no.� A source explained adding that the amount could be used to build the community a school. While the Municipal Assembly has refused to bear the cost during a crisis meeting on Monday, sources close to the assembly say he has gone ahead to pay GH�13,400 as part payment of the said amount allegedly from the common fund of the assembly. Assembly members are up in arms against that decision saying the debt was incurred through his stubbornness and carelessness and, therefore, could not bear the brunt of his action. As a press time on Tuesday, the MCE�s official vehicle was still parked in the yard of the Koforidua Courts while GH�13,400.00 was confirmed to have been paid on Monday. Samuel Kwabi and the Suhum Municipal Assembly are due to make the next installment payment of GH�7,600 by next week while a third and final payment of GH�6,600 would be made at a later date. When the MCE was contacted, he said he was sorry he could not comment on the matter because he was engaged with some American visitors.