Asokwa Resident Destroys Assembly Member’s Coconut Seedlings

Hon Oscar Riches, Assembly Member for Asokwa New Town addressing the media on the destruction of coconut seedlings he had planted

A middle-aged resident of Asokwa New Town, Afua Pokua, has allegedly destroyed coconut seedlings planted by the area’s Assembly Member, Hon. Oscar Riches.

Upon visiting the site early Wednesday morning, evidence confirmed the incident that planted seedlings had been uprooted from holes along the roadside.

Unit Committee Chair Express Dismay:

Mr. Kwabena Dwobeng, the Unit Committee Chairman, who was on site during the incident and spoke to the media.

“The woman’s actions were very provocative and disturbing,” he stated.

“It was surprising to see that seedlings we had planted in less than two hours were uprooted by this woman. Her claim was that the Chief should have been informed before we undertook the exercise,” the Unit Committee Chairman explained.

Assembly Member’s Account:

In an interview, Hon. Oscar Riches, the elected Assembly Member for Asokwa New Town, expressed his surprise and disappointment at the woman’s conduct.

He recounted that while he and the unit committee members were planting the coconut seedlings, Madam Afua Pokua emerged.

Hon. Riches said the woman began uprooting the newly planted seedlings from three spots along the main street leading to the ongoing hospital project site, all while insulting them for not informing the town’s Chief.

“Since the seedlings were supplied to the Assembly by the government through the Local Government Ministry, I immediately informed the Presiding Member of the Asokwa Assembly,” Hon. Riches noted.

“My PM urged me to report the case to the Police, an action I have duly taken with the Asokwa District Police Command”, Hon Riches noted.

Rationale for Tree Planting:

The Assembly Member stated that as a law-abiding citizen, he decided to plant the seedlings provided to him by the Local Government Ministry as part of an effort to beautify the environment in his community.

He and the unit committee members had specifically requested and planned to plant the coconut seedlings along the streets leading into the main town.

Presiding Member Confirms Incident:

Hon. Nana Yaw Wiredu, Presiding Member for the Asokwa Municipal Assembly, was reached for comment and confirmed the incident.

He also acknowledged that he had advised the Assembly Member to lodge an official complaint with the Asokwa Police.

Hon. Wiredu stressed that, “since the destroyed seedlings were state property, the Assembly Member would be required to account for them”.

Source: Ghana/otecfghana.com/Michael Ofosu-Afriyie, Kumasi.