Accra Mayor X�mas Hangs

Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) must be contemplating postponing this year�s yuletide as efforts to recoup his �lost� official residence hang in the balance. As the Christmas holidays approach, it is unclear where he intends to retire and take a break from his ever-busy schedules as Mayor of the city, including additional responsibility as traffic warden. The Mayor appeared well-prepared for Christmas, but if no help comes from the central government, Mr Vanderpuije may have to look for a new abode. The new owner of the Mayor�s official residence is bent on taking possession of the building in the days ahead of the yuletide even though there appears to be presidential intervention which rather came in a bit too late. According to legal analysts, if the decision to auction the properties which had court backing, is to be reversed, then the state would be incurring another judgement debt because the new owners have to be paid for certain amount as reparation for the inconvenience and interest on the money if they had gone for a loan. The Mayor was already in Christmas mood as three huge sheep were tied to various trees waiting to be taken to the slaughterhouse while the house itself was decorated with Christmas trees and sparkling bells among other decorations. Mr. Oko Vanderpuije�s plush mansion which is located at number 4, 7th Avenue at Ridge, a few meters away from the TUC building in Accra, was auctioned by a licensed auctioneer, Jacobus Vanderpuye, under police supervision on Thursday this week at GH�850,000 (GH�8.5billion) to defray a judgement debt owed City and Country Waste Limited (CCWL). Other houses belonging to the assembly were equally auctioned bringing the price tally to GH�5.2million after the auctioneer gavel had fallen. This followed auction notices that were posted for some months on the said properties after a court order as a result of a judgement debt of $6,575,928.52 awarded in favour of Messrs City and Country Waste Limited against AMA owned by one-time financier of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Eddie Annan. The six other buildings owned by the assembly within the same enclave were sold along with the Mayor�s official residence which went for as much as GH�900,000, GH�810,000, GH�780,000, GH�750,000 and GH�725,000 with the cheapest going for GH�450,000.