|
Ex-DCEs denied Allegations against them
Andrews Zugah, Ghanadot
Accra, 28 October, Ghanadot - The former District Chief
Executive (DCE) for Akuapim North, Edward Adu Aboagye, who
testified at the Ghana@50 Commission of Inquiry on Tuesday,
debunked the allegations of irregularities levelled against him
by his subordinates over the GH¢7,942 he collected from the
District Principal Accounts Officer to pay contractors during
the Ghana’s Golden Jubilee celebration.
He claimed that it wasn’t part of his duty to disburse money to
contractors when the Assembly has Accounts Officers and to also
distribute freely, souvenirs meant for sale, was to whip up
enthusiasm about the celebration and to enable people in their
various districts partake effectively in the national event.
Some of the former DCEs explained that because of the poverty
levels in their districts, most of the people were not in the
position to afford some of the items on sale.
A number of District Co-ordinating Directors (DCD), who appeared
before the commission claimed that DCEs personally distributed
the items freely without consultation with assembly members.
The DCDs also alleged that former DCEs personally took delivery
of the anniversary souvenirs and collected various sums of
monies from their district finance officers without accounting
for them.
On the strength of those allegations, the commission subpoenaed
the DCEs to appear before it.
The ex-DCEs who testified included: Yaw Yiadom Boakye,
Kwaebibirem, Doris Gyapomah Oduro, Wassa Amenfi East, Asiedu
Mensah Abrampah, Juaboso, Samuel Donkor, Awowin Suaman, Kwakye
Adeaefe Benjamin, Amansie West, James Kwabena Appiah-Awuah,
Nkoransa South and Peter Wuni, Mamprusi.
Yiadom, ex-DCE of Kwaebibirem, who admitted personally taking
some money from proceeds of the sales of the anniversary
souvenirs from the District Finance Officer, explained that the
amount was lodged at the former Eastern Regional Minister's
office in Koforidua.
Yiadom, who agreed that the financial regulations of the
assembly did not permit what he did, said he took the action
because the body received the anniversary souvenirs from the
Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) and the Ghana@50
Secretariat in Accra.
He said his impression was that payments were to be treated in a
special way, hence his decision to effect payment at the RCC.
"The Minister can confirm this to the Commission when he appears
tomorrow", he said.
He confirmed distributing 40 anniversary cloths to some
dignitaries for free as appreciation for their various
contributions towards the progress of the assembly.
Donkor, former DCE for Awowin Suaman, also gave an account of
how the assembly received and distributed the items, which did
not pass through the assembly's stores.
According to him, the items arrived a few days to the
celebration when the store keeper was not available.
Donkor said as a result, the items were dispatched to seven area
councils for distribution instead of keeping them in the office,
adding that the rest of the souvenirs were sold and an amount of
GH¢3500 was realized.
He claimed he handed over the cash and all documents relating to
the transaction to his successor, admitting however, that some
of the items got missing but could not tell the commission how
it happened.
Asiedu Mensah Abrampah, the Juaboso ex-DCE, also confirmed
receiving the anniversary souvenirs and 83 pieces of cloth from
RCC, saying, he handed over the items to the storekeeper without
a waybill attached to them.
Abrampah, who produced documented evidence indicating the names
of recipients of the souvenirs, told the commission that the
assembly experienced difficulty selling the items and so gave
them out freely because of the poverty level of the district.
The former Nkoransa South DCE, Kwabena Appiah-Awuah, refuted
allegations that he instructed the assembly's storekeeper to
distribute the items freely without the consent of the DCD.
He said "there is no iota of truth in the story".
Appiah-Awuah explained that it was a collective decision by the
assembly and not his personal decision as alleged.
Ghanadot
|
