Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive Ebi Bright has accused Tema Central MP Charles Forson of assaulting her driver, telling Parliament’s Local Government and Rural Development Committee that a long-running dispute over the MP’s share of the District Assemblies Common Fund has turned physical. Mr Forson has flatly denied the claim, insisting that documents for his Common Fund projects have sat unsigned at the Assembly for about a year and seven months.
Ms Bright made the allegation on Monday, October 5, 2026, when she appeared before the parliamentary committee. She said repeated attempts to engage the MP had failed and that development projects in Tema were being duplicated because the Assembly and his office were not coordinating.
Mr Forson responded in interviews with Citi FM on Monday night and again on Tuesday, October 6, rejecting the assault claim and accusing the mayor of trying to “micromanage” his office.
The clash follows a bitterly contested 2024 parliamentary race in Tema Central, which Mr Forson of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) won by 55 votes over Ms Bright, then the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate.
Ebi Bright alleges assault on driver at Parliament
According to the Tema MCE, the latest attempt to reach the MP ended in violence. “The last of such attempt was met with physical assault on my driver because we tried to reach him at Parliament and we couldn’t reach him,” she told the committee.
She also alleged that a staff member was assaulted after she sent a package to the MP’s office requesting a meeting.
Ms Bright said the MP had “been resolute in not engaging the Assembly or me since I came into office.” She added that parliamentary leadership had been informed and expressed hope that the matter would be resolved.
Charles Forson denies assaulting Tema Mayor’s driver
Mr Forson categorically denied touching anyone. Asked whether he assaulted the driver physically or verbally, he said: “No. Physically? Verbally? No. Why would I do it?”
He said he had kept quiet about the feud until now but felt compelled to respond. “I’m talking because of the assault. The blatant lie that she’s trying to sell out there,” he said, adding: “All I know is that, in my upbringing, I respect women so much.”
The MP said the mayor once sent a driver to his office with chocolate, which he declined because he was unsure of its purpose.
District Assemblies Common Fund dispute at the heart of the row
At the centre of the feud is the MP’s share of the District Assemblies Common Fund, which the Assembly must process before projects can be approved and paid for.
Ms Bright acknowledged she had refused to approve the release of the MP’s share, citing a lack of coordination on projects. Mr Forson says she has no authority to hold it back. “She doesn’t have any control over it,” he said.
He claimed pre-approval documents for his Common Fund projects have remained unsigned since early 2025. “From last year, February or March… she’s never appended her signature to them. A year and seven months,” he said.
“Our fiduciary duties are separate, are absolutely different,” the MP added, accusing the MCE of trying to “micromanage everything, including my office as an MP.”
Permits for first-aid centres also in dispute
Mr Forson also told Citi Newsroom that he obtained permits from the Tema Metropolitan Assembly for first-aid centres he plans to build in the constituency, part of a target of 11 facilities. He said permits were secured for three of them, but the mayor later described them as “fake” even though the Assembly itself issued them.
He said he has petitioned the Minister for Local Government over the matter.
Ebi Bright vs Charles Forson: how the two sides compare
- Ebi Bright (Tema MCE): says the MP has refused to engage the Assembly since she took office in 2025.
- Charles Forson (Tema Central MP): says the MCE has refused to sign his Common Fund memos for about 19 months.
- Assault claim: Bright alleges her driver and a staff member were assaulted; Forson denies both.
- Common Fund: Bright admits withholding approval; Forson says she has no control over his share.
- 2024 election: Forson polled 18,870 votes to Bright’s 18,815 – a 55-vote margin.
Background: a rivalry that began at the ballot box
Ms Bright challenged Mr Forson’s election at the High Court in January 2025, alleging irregularities at three polling stations. In April 2025, President John Mahama nominated her as Tema’s first female Metropolitan Chief Executive.
The working relationship between MMDCEs and MPs has come under scrutiny as the government pushes assemblies to deliver local projects, including Mahama Ayariga’s 30-day directive to MMDCEs on waste transfer sites.
What the dispute means for Tema residents
Both officials agree projects are being affected. The MCE says the lack of coordination has led to duplicated projects, while the MP says unsigned memos have stalled work funded from his Common Fund share.
Until the impasse is resolved, projects that rely on the MP’s allocation in Tema Central are likely to remain on hold.
What happens next
The matter is before Parliament’s Local Government and Rural Development Committee, and the parliamentary leadership has been asked to mediate between the two officials. Mr Forson says he has also petitioned the Local Government Minister. No police complaint over the alleged assault has been reported.
Key details at a glance
- Tema MCE Ebi Bright accuses Tema Central MP Charles Forson of assaulting her driver at Parliament.
- She also alleges a staff member was assaulted while delivering a package to his office.
- Forson denies the allegations, calling them a “blatant lie.”
- Bright admits refusing to approve release of the MP’s Common Fund share.
- Forson says his Common Fund memos have been unsigned for about 19 months.
- Forson won Tema Central in 2024 by 55 votes over Bright.
- Parliament’s leadership and the Local Government Minister have been drawn into the dispute.
FAQs
What did Ebi Bright accuse Charles Forson of?
The Tema MCE told a parliamentary committee that the Tema Central MP assaulted her driver during an attempt to reach him at Parliament, and that a staff member was also assaulted.
Did Charles Forson assault Ebi Bright’s driver?
Mr Forson has categorically denied the allegation, saying he did not assault anyone physically or verbally.
Why are the Tema Mayor and Tema Central MP fighting?
The row centres on the MP’s share of the District Assemblies Common Fund, which the MCE has declined to approve, and on project coordination between the Assembly and the MP’s office.
The dispute between Ebi Bright and Charles Forson has moved from a 55-vote election contest to an open clash over Common Fund approvals, permits and an alleged assault, leaving Parliament’s leadership and the Local Government Ministry to broker peace as Tema Central projects wait.
