Apiate explosion: Group chastises Prestea MCE for excluding MP's name from c'ttee list

A group calling itself, Alliance for Development and Accountability (ADA) has chastised the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality of the Western Region, Dr. Isaac Dasmani for deliberately excluding Hon. Robert Wisdom Cudjoe, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area from the Apiate Explosion Committee.

Following the explosion that occurred at Apiate near Bogoso in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality on Thursday, January 20, 2022, a 19-member committee has been formed and inaugurated locally to help the victims and management of donations given to the victims and their families who are homeless.

The committee has Dr. Isaac Dasmani, the Prestea Huni-Valley MCE as its Chairman without the inclusion of the MP for the area as a member.

In a press statement issued by the group and signed by its Deputy Secretary, Mr. William Acquah has descended heavily on the MCE for failing to include the MP in the committee.

"...The 19-member committee came as a shock when the MP for Prestea Huni-Valley Constituency, Hon. Robert Wisdom Cudjoe's name was excluded from the list. No reasons have been stated as to why the MP or his representative was not included in the list," part of the statement reads.

"Hon. Wisdom Cudjoe in his first attempt as a Member of Parliament to the rescue of the victims following the explosion sought to have called for two excavators to clear off the broken structures which befell some individuals of the Apiate community after the explosion. His contribution to the rescue has been magnificent since the incident happened," he added.

Mr. William Acquah disclosed that when the Vice President of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia visited the Apiate community a day after the disaster, the MCE failed to introduce the NDC MP, Robert Wisdom Cudjoe to the Vice President meanwhile the MP was around.

"The roles played by the industrial players as well as natives of the Apiate community were absolutely worth applauding until the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia visited the scene to commiserate with the victims which saw the Municipal Chief Executive for Prestea Huni-valley Municipal, Hon. Isaac Dasmani fail to introduce the Member of Parliament for the Constituency to the Vice President even though the Member of Parliament was at the occasion," he claimed.

They are, therefore, calling on the MCE for Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality to as a matter of urgency come out and explain to Ghanaians why the MP was not included in the committee.

They are also cautioning the committee to take good care of the items being donated by individuals and use it to the benefit of the victims.

Read the full statement below;