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The Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Mr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, has pledged the assembly�s commitment to deepen its collaboration with traditional rulers to improve on the livelihood of people in the metropolis. According to him, the developmental needs of Accra could not be met by the assembly alone, but also with concerted action by all stakeholders including the business community and traditional rulers. Mr Vanderpuije made these comments when the Sempe Mantse, Nii Adote Obour II paid a courtesy call on him in his office. Nii Obour presented to the Chief Executive a copy of a ruling by an Accra Fast Track High Court that affirmed his position as the Sempe Mantse. Background The said judgement which was delivered by Justice Utter Paul Dery on June 20, 2014, was in relation to a case brought before the court by Nii Moi Allotei Brown, alias Nii Adotey Otintor, a claimant to the Sempe Stool. Nii Otintor in his capacity as Sempe Mantse had sued the Adansie newspaper and four others for defamation and had asked the court to grant him damages in the sum of GH�10 million. The court, however, ruled that he could not hold himself as the Sempe Mantse since Nii Obuor was the legally recognised Sempe Mantse as indicated in the gazette notification in the Local Government Bulletin dated August 10,1990. The need for cooperation Mr Vanderpuije indicated that the assembly was working hard to achieve the objectives of the �Better Ghana Agenda� and reiterated the need for traditional rulers to work hand-in-hand with the assembly. �As a metropolitan assembly, our job is to bring development to the people in terms of education, sanitation, electricity, health services and many others. We, therefore, welcome this weighty relationship between the assembly and the traditional establishment,� he said. Nii Obour promised the assembly of unflinching support from the Sempe Traditional Council in its drive to bring about further development in the metropolis.