The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, has given Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) a strict two-week deadline to repair all non-functional streetlights in their areas.
At a press briefing in Accra on Thursday, August 28, Madam Ocloo revealed that her office, in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy, had procured 3,000 streetlights for distribution. Each assembly will receive 100 units.
She, however, emphasised that this support must not replace their local responsibility, urging MMDCEs to purchase additional lights to fully resolve the issue.
“Let me be clear: you have only two weeks to ensure that every single one of those lights is fixed. No excuses, no delays. I will personally monitor this directive. Any chief executive who fails to comply will be exposed and reported. If you cannot manage these basic tasks, then you have no business occupying that office,” she warned.
The Minister described poor street lighting, sanitation challenges, and the proliferation of illegal billboards as visible signs of neglect, stressing that assemblies must “wake up to their responsibilities.”
“At this stage, excuses are nothing but an embarrassment to the people we serve. Leadership is not about sitting in offices and enjoying perks, it’s about delivering results. And right now, many of you are simply sleeping on your jobs,” she added.
According to her, streetlights are not merely infrastructure but “a matter of public safety, urban order, and a crucial driver of the 24-hour economy being pursued by government.”
Madam Ocloo also cautioned MMDCEs against delegating official duties to personal assistants (PAs) or turning assembly offices into political meeting grounds.
“Some of you have surrounded yourselves with personal assistants who have virtually taken over your official responsibilities. If you decide to engage PAs, their role is strictly to help organise your schedules, manage your time, and provide administrative support. They are not to approve documents or represent you at official meetings. This must stop immediately,” she stated.
She further warned that assemblies cannot be run by unelected individuals “hiding behind the authority” of MMDCEs, noting that no chief executive will be allowed to attend Regional Co-ordinating Council meetings with a PA, since strict confidentiality must be maintained.
“This practice ends now, and if it continues, the individuals involved will face serious consequences,” she cautioned.
Source: Adomonline
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