According to him, these MMDCEs dip their hands into Assemblies’ internally generated funds with the excuse that they are going to make funeral donations and also pay companies that have executed some contracts.

“Do you know that it is possible that every Friday, some 60,000 is shared among top executives of district assemblies and nobody can do anything about it? The DCE has a certain threshold of contract he can award, the law says that three invoices, so the District Finance Office calls a regular supplier in the area and asks him to bring three invoices,”he said.

According to him, the companies registered with some DCEs behind it, are paid for nothing, and there is nobody to check if these companies are ‘ghost’ companies or not.

“They can call the works and planning guy, he comes to sign and say the work has been done, the cheque can be written in the DFO’s  [District Finance Officer’s ] name, he goes to the bank and brings the money,” he said.

He explained that the practice has not been exposed because most Assembly members lack the courage to stand up as most of them are looking for favours from their MMDCEs.

He also said Members of Parliament are unable to attend procurement meetings to make the necessary enquiries, because the DCEs send meeting notifications letters to their various MP on the day of the meeting or a day before the meeting.

Deficiencies in the operations of metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) created avenues for some officials of the assemblies to mismanage funds and resources valued at approximately GH¢ 70.1 million, the 2016 Auditor-General’s Report on the assemblies has revealed.

The amount shows a 32 percent (almost GH¢17 million) increase in the 2015 financial irregularities of the assemblies that the Auditor-General’s Report pegged at almost GH¢53.2million.

“Management and staff of the assemblies continued to violate rules and regulations, policies, procedures and directives which had been put in place to ensure the economic, effective and efficient management of public resources made available to MMDAs,” the report, signed by the Auditor-General, Mr Daniel Y. Domelevo, said.

The government has been impressed upon to adopt fiscal decentralization policies and reduce the stress on the national budget.

“Most District Assemblies are unable to generate enough funds of their own to support their operations, making them depend heavily on the central government for financial support. The assignment of functions from central to local government is fragmented, and there is no clear definition of responsibilities across the two levels of government.”

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By: Farida Yusif/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Mr. Dandori, who had been battling with illness for a few months, died at the Ridge hospital in Accra on Thursday night where he was receiving treatment.

Confirming the death to Citi News, a family member of the deceased, Francis Zubaru, said the demise of Clement Dandori was not only a big blow to the family but to the entire Assembly as well.

“For the past five months, Mr. Clement Danduri was ill. It was one early morning he called me and said he is having a sharp stomach pain so we went to a clinic and tests showed that he had malaria parasite. We started treating malaria for almost one month but he was getting better so we went to Bolga and did all manner of tests and most of the test results were good, except two,” he said.

“So yesterday [Thursday], Mr. Danduri was okay except that, there was the need for him to see a specialist at Ridge hospital in Accra and that is where his sudden death occurred” Mr. Zubaru stated.

Mr. Dandori left behind two wives and five children.

Before his demise, Mr. Danduri had been a Coordinating Director at the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly.

He was also the New Patriotic Party’s Parliamentary candidate for the  Chiana-Paga constituency in the 2016 general election, and was made the District Chief Executive of the Kassena-Nankana District Assembly in 2017.

A date for his burial and final funeral rites has not yet been set by the family.

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By: Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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He has therefore called for support from partners and stakeholders to come to the aid of the district as the operations of the miners was wreaking havoc on productive farmlands and destroying their water bodies’

He commended President Nana Akufo-Addo’s vision and determination to bring to an end these societal enemies with the introduction of the Operation Vanguard, establishment of a permanent secretariat for the inter-ministerial committee, and recently the formation and inauguration of District committees against Illegal Mining (DCIM) in areas where the practice is common to bring the menace under control.

In a Citi News interview, Kofi Agyemang expressed his excitement and confidence that a permanent solution to the illegal mining menace was being funded by government to relieve Ghanaians from its devastating effects.

He said the activity was getting out of control in the district because the illegal miners are well armed, thereby making it difficult for the security forces in both the region and the district to flush them out.

“Yes, it’s true, I have been shit bombed because of my resolve to fight the menace when I was appointed by the President as the DCE. In the case of Asotiano, I was told by an informant that one of the boys said I needed to be shot and I said that cannot deter or put us off. I keep on telling them it’s the resolution of the President to bring an end to illegal mining that has virtually destroyed all our water bodies and degraded our lands, my brother we cannot allow it to continue”, he emphasized.

On job opportunities created by his outfit to engage the illegal miners and the youth, the DCE said the Assembly has so far built a database of about 3000 unemployed youth, and created a job center coordinating and working to ensure that they give them jobs.

He said they have established a youth development fund with contributions from residents, and the sole aim is to get jobs for the youth as an alternative to galamsey.

“The fact that the jobs are not yet ready, it does not mean we should destroy our water bodies. Our people are aware that we are putting in so much effort and in fact, we cannot rest until the youth get jobs”, he assured.

The DCE, therefore called for support from the traditional rulers and other stakeholders in the area, to make the government’s development agenda a reality in the area.

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By: Mashoud Kombat/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Dormaa East DCE ‘shit bombed’ by illegal miners appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

He thus denied the claim that he supported supposed NPP loyalists to seize the facility, and hand it over to party loyalists.

According to him, his intervention in the management of the water treatment plant in the area was as a result of incessant complaints from assembly members and opinion leaders about mismanagement of the plant.

[contextly_sidebar id=”pJFuTB22mj4SSJLwMpiv15sKARDoK6gm”]Speaking on Eyewitness News on Tuesday, Mr. Yaquob said claims by the manager of the facility that it had been forcibly taken from him and handed to supporters of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) were false and must be disregarded.

“It is absolutely false. It is never true. When I came into office, there were a lot of complaints from assembly members and opinion leaders about how the water system was being managed. Financially, there was a problem and they were complaining,” he said.

He explained that, “We reconstituted the community water management committee, appointment letters were given to members who were appointed, but because of the complaints of alleged financial malfeasance on those committees, the assembly instructed the internal audit unit to conduct an audit of the account of the water project…. I was called two days ago when there were calls that there was a problem at Binbcheratanga concerning the water committee and people were trying to create problems among themselves. So I wrote a memo to the manager and the chief that once it is becoming a problem, they should give the keys to the chief so that the following morning I’ll come so we resolve it.”

Earlier reports received by Citi News indicated that, some youth suspected to be supporters of the New Patriotic Party, backed by the DCE, had taken control of the community water system.

The Chief of Binbcheratanga, Naa Andani Azuma, who corroborated the story, said he turned away some supposed party youth who came to ask for the keys to the facility twice, but the DCE came later and took it himself.

Meanwhile, the situation has resulted in a water shortage over the past four days in Binbcheratanga, forcing residents to trek long distances to a single borehole for water at the risk of cholera.

But the DCE has assured that the community will have an uninterrupted water supply from today [Wednesday].

“By Wednesday, water will be flowing into the community. Someone tampered with the wiring so the problem will be fixed.”

Meanwhile, the former manager of the facility, Musah Alhassan, insists that the DCE directed him to hand over the keys to the facility amidst threats although he did nothing wrong.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Water treatment plant wasn’t seized – Nanumba North DCE appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The seat of the DCE has since been vacant after the President’s first nominee Millicent Kabuki Carboo was out rightly rejected by members of the assembly.

Following the rejection of the female nominee, some party members and executives have alleged of plans by the Presidency to appoint another nominee, also a female to replace Kiki.

“A presiding member of the Biakoye District Assembly, Madam Christy Nutakor ; a well-known card bearing member of the National Democratic Congress is going round the constituency, canvasing for support from chiefs and opinion leaders that President Nana Akufo Addo has nominated her for the DCE position which has come to us not only as a shock but a huge disappointment when they had been no consultation with the party members on the ground,” he alleged.

The new nominee, Madam Christy Nutakor, according to the party’s director of communication, Mr. Bright Donkor, is a known sympathizer of the opposition National Democratic Congress and has played key roles in the party including the activities of the Atta Mills Fan Club.

Her appointment they say if carried out would expose the party in the constituency to public ridicule and destabilize the party.

“We have no choice but to vent our frustrations over events which beat our understanding before the party becomes a laughing stock in the constituency. But one thing is for sure, the party in the constituency would never be the same again if it turns out that an NDC woman is to become the leader of the NPP in Biakoye as a DCE” he added

At a press conference in Ho, the group entreated the appointment team to ensure due diligence in the appointment of the Chief Executive.

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By: King Norbert Akpablie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Don’t impose ‘alien’ DCE on us – Biakoye NPP appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Her confirmation makes her the last nominee to get the nod of an assembly in the Region, following her initial rejection by the Assembly members earlier in May this year.

This brings to two the the total number of female district chief executives out of the twenty Metropolitan/Municipal/District Assemblies in the Region.

Upon her nomination earlier this year, Aba Hagan had been facing a very stiff opposition from majority of the assembly members, leading to her getting seventeen out of the forty-three members who voted back in May.

The Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan, at the time, lamented heavily over the rejection of the nominee, and advised the assembly members to put the interest of the district first to engender development in the area.

President Akufo-Addo re-nominated her in June, reigniting the tension between the nominee and the assembly members.

As a result, the Assembly’s meeting today to vote over her was marked by a very charged atmosphere.

A crowd made up of people believed to be sympathisers of the ruling New Patriotic Party gathered in front of the Assembly hall, clad in red, holding various placards and chanting songs that appeared to warn members not to vote against the nominee.

After the voting, she gathered forty votes in her favour as against four ‘NO’ votes, bringing her battle to head the District to a fruition.

In her acceptance speech, the new District Chief Executive assured members of the assembly of her preparedness to work with each of them.

She urged them to discard all forms of unfavourable views about her, assuring she is not like how people perceive her.

A 2015 population estimate pegged the number of people in the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese District at 133,452, with a mostly agrarian economy characterised by the cultivation of citrus, oil palm and cocoa as well as a busy fishing industry at Moree.

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By: Joseph Ackon-Mensah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese DCE nominee finally confirmed appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Everything was set for the confirmation exercise simultaneously with that of the West Mamprusi district.

Whereas as the West Mamprusi district assembly successfully confirmed the District Chief Executive nominee, Abu Mohammed, that of Bunkprugu/Yunyoo was postponed for unknown reasons.

The development created tension in the area with a group calling itself the Concerned Yunyoo NPP youth, accusing the Bunkprugu constituency Member of Parliament, Hon. Solomon Boar of Sabotaging the DCE nominee.

The group also accused the Northern Regional Minister, Salifu Saeed of working against the President’s DCE nominee, John Kwaku Alhassan’s confirmation.
Below is a statement issued by the group’s Spokesperson, Mamoa Elijah and copiedcitifmonline.com.

Northern regional minister and his deputy must respect the president

We the concerned NPP youth of Yunyoo want to state unambiguously that the northern regional minister Salifu Saeed and his deputy Solomon Namliit Boar are working against the confirmation of the Bunkprugu/Yunyoo District chief executive nominee J.K Alhassan.

This is gross disrespect to the authority of the president of the republic of Ghana. We are having the facts that cannot be contradicted by anyone to suggest that the two party leaders are not those provoking the chiefs, opinion leaders, and assembly members against the said nominee’s confirmation.

We are therefore appealing to the two leaders to allow peace in the area to justify the basis on which they were appointed. Mr. Regional minister and your deputy; what will you lose if the president’s nominee is confirmed?

We must also indicate that the continuous resistance to the Bunkprugu/Yunyoo DCE’s confirmation could compromise the political harmony in the area. Why should a minister and his deputy vow never to allow John Kwaku Alhassan to become DCE because he is this or he is that? This development justified why Savelugu and other parts of the northern region witnessed opposition in the confirmation of their DCE.

We conclude by appealing to the president of the republic of Ghana Nana Addo Danqua Akufo Addo to expeditiously mete out disciplinary actions against the two. Mr. President; if there is noise in the Bunkprugu/Yunyoo disdtrict; blame Solomon Boar and Salifu Saeed.

Thank you.
Cc
Presidency
All media houses
…..signed….

Mamoa Elijah, spokesperson for concern NPP youth, Yunyoo constituency.

Solomon Boa’s rebuttal

Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for Bunkprugu constituency has dismissed the allegations, saying he has no problem with the DCE nominee.
He rather accused the NPP Northern Regional Chairman, Daniel Bugri Naabu of creating insecurity in the area.

According to Hon. Solomon Boar, Daniel Bugri Naabu skewed to change the government appointees list in favour of the DCE nominee, John Kwaku Alhassan.

He advised the DCE nominee to do his homework well and get the blessing of the assembly members.
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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The President, through the Ministry of Local Government, directed him to step aside, while investigations continue into the gruesome murder of a military officer, Captain Maxwell Adam Mahama.

Capt. Mahama was lynched by residents of Denkyira-Obuasi on Monday after he was mistaken for an armed robber.

[contextly_sidebar id=”pY9xwxpDA20Zlln9I7WmyNVv8LIOrPgr”]The DCE of the area has since accused the military officer for his the death.

According to him, Capt. Mahama and his colleagues from the 5th Infantry Battalion who were deployed to wage war on illegal mining, were instead protecting illegal miners.

Mr Appianing was however suspended on Thursday after public anger over his comments, but had insisted that he was still at post because there was no official communication about his suspension.

But the Deputy Local government Minister, O.B Amoah, has told Citi News, the DCE has finally left office.

“I spoke with the Regional Minister last night, and he said his deputy was on his way to take over. He had officially spoken and written to the DCE so I expect that this morning if there is any handing over he [DCE] would have done it or been in the process of doing it for the Deputy Regional Minister to take over,” OB Amoah noted.

He added that a report will be forwarded the President as soon as it was ready to enable the President take a definite position on the issue.

“…The President needs a formal report from the Regional Minister and other heads of agencies as soon as it’s ready, [and] if there is any report that the President needs it will be provided to him,” the deputy Local Government Minister said.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Suspended Upper Denkyira West DCE vacates post appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

In a second confirmation process conducted by the Municipal Electoral Commission (EC) and all 64 members present and voted, the nominee Kofi Adjei obtained 61 votes, two dissented and one ballot was rejected.

In his first attempt last week, the nominee failed to garner the required number of votes to be confirmed as he obtained 35 YES votes out of the 64 member house present and voted.

27 members disapproved his nomination with 2 ballots rejected much to the disappointment of many supporters and sympathizers who trooped to the Berekum Municipal Assembly Hall to witness the process.

The MCE in his victory speech, commended the President, the assembly and all stakeholders for the confidence reposed in him and pledged to bring unity to the district.

He called on all to get on board for accelerated development.

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By: Mashoud Kombat/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Kofi Adjei confirmed Berekum MCE after 2nd attempt appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Out of the 66 assembly members who voted on Monday, 35 voted in his favour while 31 voted against him.

His failure to amass two-thirds of the votes means another sitting will have to be conducted after 10 working days.

Reacting to the development, the Central Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan, expressed his disappointment and appealed to the members to reach a consensus to confirm the nominee at their next meeting.

He advised the assembly members to make the development of the Ejumako-Enyan-Essiam District a priority by making a firm decision to vote for the confirmation of the nominee.

Rev Nyarkoh, a Marketing professional, contested former Deputy Finance Minister in the erstwhile Mahama government, Cassiel Ato Forson, in the 2016 parliamentary elections in the Ejumako-Enyan-Essiam constituency but lost.

The District joins the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese as the only two districts out of the 20 in the Central Region that are yet to confirm their District Chief Executive nominees.

According to the 2010 Population and Housing Census, the District has a population of 138,046. Of this, 68.10% is rural based while the District is largely an agrarian economy.

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By: Joseph Ackon-Mensah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Ejumako-Enyan-Essiam rejects President’s nominee appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.