Richard Attenkah
2 November 2007
Ashaiman — Women of Ashaiman have taken the war against the siting of the capital of the newly created Ashaiman-Adenta Municipality at Adenta, the doorstep of the Deputy Minister of Local Government & Rural Development, Maxwell Kofi Jumah.
They have virtually taken over the fight and have sent strong signals to the Deputy Minister, warning him to stay clear from attempting to twist the arms of the community, saying if he did not back off, they would march to his residence, naked and sleep with him.
And like the colonial days, when Yaa Asantewah, Queen Mother of Ejisu organised an army to fight against the oppression of the white rule against her people at the time men were reluctant to go to war, the women have vowed to force the government to change its decision.
This came to light at an emergency meeting organised by leadership of the Ashaiman community to deliberate on how best they could reverse the decision of the government to locate the capital of the newly created Ashaiman-Adenta Municipality at Adenta. Present at the meeting were tribal heads, representatives of chiefs, opinion leaders, assembly members and leaders of the various associations and groupings in the town.
Speaking on behalf of the women, Madam K. K. Agogoe, Acting Queen Mother of the Ashaiman Market, stated that Ashaiman has been in existence for over 100 years and it was they that gave birth to Adenta just recently. According to her, how Could Adenta, which was founded quite recently have dominion over Ashaiman that has been in existence for several years?
All the women who spoke at the meeting unanimously agreed that they should embark on a demonstration to drum home their demand that Ashaiman deserved to be the capital of the new municipality.
According to them, if they did not act immediately, impressions would be created that the people of Ashaiman have given up the fight against the decision of the government to make Adenta the capital of the new municipality.
She stated that since Ashaiman was miles ahead of Adenta in every aspect of logic or legislation and was strategically positioned in addition to having the needed infrastructure to be the capital of the new municipality, it was only proper that Ashaiman got it.
She pointed out that whether municipality or district, Ashaiman could not be under the jurisdiction of Adenta under any circumstance, stating that Ashaiman must be on its own. Even though opinion was divided at the meeting over whether they should embark on a demonstration, and if yes, when it should be done, it was agreed that a committee of 13 persons be formed.
According to the Chairman of the Association of Assembly Members of Ashaiman, Emmanuel Niikoi Dsane, the terms of reference of the committee was firstly to draft a resolution, stating the demanded of the people of Ashaiman in respect of the location of the municipal capital to the Minister of Local Government & Rural Development.
Secondly, under no circumstance should the capital be sited at Adenta or any other place for that matter and, finally, to demand for a round table discussion with the Minister as soon as possible.
He said once the committee finished its job, a petition would be presented to the Minister latest by Friday.
Assembly members at the meeting denied allegations that they have decided to renege on their decisions to embark on a demonstration against the decision of the government to locate the capital at Adenta.
They said it would only be over their dead bodies that they would allow themselves to become subservient to Adenta, which had nothing at all to contribute to the generation of income to develop the municipality.
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