By Hebrews Pouyeli Kumako
The Assembly Member for Akame Electoral Area, Wilfred Kwabla Dakunya, has criticized the Ketu South Municipal Assembly over what he described as its persistent failure to provide permanent furniture for the Municipal Assembly Hall, despite years of holding statutory meetings and official functions.
Speaking during the Assembly’s sitting on June 5, 2026, Mr. Dakunya questioned why the Assembly continues to rely on rented plastic chairs for every General Assembly meeting and other official programmes instead of investing in durable furniture befitting the municipality.
According to him, the continuous expenditure on hiring plastic chairs constitutes an unnecessary drain on the Assembly’s finances and reflects poor planning and management of public resources.
“If the Assembly’s expenditure on renting plastic chairs over a single year is carefully audited, the amount could easily procure permanent furniture that would serve the Assembly for many decades,” he argued.
Mr. Dakunya further proposed that the Assembly Hall should be equipped with modern conference furniture, including comfortable chairs with attached writing desks or armrests, to improve deliberations and create a more professional environment for Assembly Members and invited stakeholders.
Investigations conducted by News Volta indicate that since 2010, the Ketu South Municipal Assembly has reportedly operated without permanent furniture in its Assembly Hall.
For every Assembly session, committee meeting, and major public event held at the facility, officials are said to rent plastic chairs from private suppliers, a practice that has continued for over a decade. The situation has raised concerns among residents and governance observers, who question whether the repeated rental costs represent value for money when compared with the one-time purchase of permanent furniture.
Why Ketu South, one of the oldest local government jurisdictions in the Volta Region, has over the years given rise to the creation of the Ketu North District, Akatsi South Municipality, and Akatsi North District, yet it continues to operate its Assembly Hall without permanent furniture.
Some Assembly Members believe the Assembly should conduct a cost-benefit analysis comparing the cumulative expenditure on chair rentals with the cost of acquiring durable conference furniture. They argue that permanent furniture would not only reduce recurrent expenditure but also enhance the image of the Municipal Assembly and improve comfort during lengthy deliberations.
Observers also note that proper furniture fitted with writing surfaces would facilitate note-taking and official work during Assembly sessions. Looking Ketu South, seeking greater administrative recognition and is expected to pursue elevation from a Municipal Assembly to a Metropolitan Assembly. Critics argue that achieving metropolitan status requires significant improvements in infrastructure, governance standards, and institutional capacity.
Some residents who spoke to News Volta questioned whether an Assembly aspiring to metropolitan status should still depend on rented plastic chairs for its highest decision-making meetings. They called on the Municipal Chief Executive and the Assembly leadership to prioritize the procurement of permanent furniture as part of efforts to modernize the institution and improve public confidence in local governance.
Source News Volta
