Ashanti Region Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Sam Pyne has been confirmed the Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA).

After voting by Assembly members on Tuesday Sam Pyne polled 55 out of 58 votes to secure a ‘one-touch’ victory.

Though two members of the Assembly were absent, the Yes votes for Mr Pyne secured him a 97 percent victory.

This comes after threats by some Assembly members that they will reject President Nana Akufo-Addo’s nominee as a result of debt left by successive administrations.

The Presiding Member of the only metropolis in the Ashanti Region, Samuel Ofori, had threatened that if the GH¢50 million debt owed by the Assembly is not cleared, he and the other members will reject President Akufo-Addo’s nominee.

But in an interview on Pure FM on the final day of his tour of the Ashanti Region, President Akufo-Addo raised concerns that it will be unfair to victimize his nominee for misappropriations of the past leadership.

He said Mr Pyne cannot be a “victim of the past”.

After his victory, Mr Pyne assured that he has already talked to the Ministry of Finance and other key stakeholders including the Chief of Staff to have the debt settled.

“Before the President’s pronouncement, we had taken steps. I had visited the Chief of Staff and she had spoken to the president and he knew [about the situation]. That one did the magic too.

“But I appreciate the fact that all of us made the effort to make sure that this matter is settled,” he told Media General’s William Evans-Nkum.

The outspoken regional secretary of the ruling party will, therefore, replace Osei Assibey Antwi as the next Kumasi mayor.

Mr Assibey Antwi, who withdrew from the KMA Chief Executive race, has since been appointed the Executive Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS).