The National Democratic Congress’ parliamentary candidate for Ayawaso West Wuogon, John Dumelo, says he is ready to follow due process before dredging drains in the area.
The Municipal Assembly said Mr. Dumelo had not sought approval before embarking on the dredging activities.
“I will write [to the Ayawaso West Assembly] to continue [dredging] because I need to save lives and my people’s property,” he said on Eyewitness News.
After a “cordial meeting” with the assembly, they had told him he needed permission to dredge the drains, which he said was “a bit strange.”
Mr. Dumelo said he had paid the excavators for six days but stopped after three days.
In an earlier interview with Citi News, the NDC Parliamentary candidate said the order from the assembly will not stop him from pursuing developmental projects in the area.
He explained that “it is the community that came to me and said John, can you dredge for us? So as soon as they came to me, I brought the excavators the following day to start the work because I need to be there for the people and it is from the people’s request that I will act.”
“So if the people say I should come and do something for them I will do it. If I require certain permission which I know, I will go and ask for permission, not permission to go and dredge a gutter when lives are being lost and properties are being destroyed. I need to be there for the people.”
Meanwhile, efforts to reach the municipal assembly on the matter have proved futile.
The NDC parliamentary candidate started the dredging on Friday, June 12, 2020.
According to him, the decision to start work on dredging the gutter was informed by a promise he made to the community when he paid a visit to assess the discomfort residents face whenever it rains.
“When it rains, here becomes flooded. It’s been flooding every single year. The people have complained that at least the gutter should be widened… If you look at the Christian Village bridge, it’s low and so when it rains, all the debris and everything collects and that’s how come the water levels here rise up,” he said last Wednesday.