A report submitted to the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) has alleged massive corruption at all levels of the Nkoranza South Municipal Assembly, headed by Madam Stella Amoatemaa.
The document titled: “RESOURCES OF THE NKORANZA SOUTH ASSEMBLY WEEPS FOR YOUR RESCUE OVER GH¢500,000.00 INVOLVED” was prepared by some members of the assembly using information from internal audit reports, procurement materials and other receipts from transactions they found questionable.
Chronicling all major financial scandals within the Assembly, the report before EOCO alleged that government money lost to endemic corruption and entrenched inefficiency amounted to GH¢500,000.00.
But in a quite evasive manner, the MCE in her response to these allegations said they were “stemmed largely from obvious misinformation.”
“I have told you I don’t want to comment on the matter because it is before EOCO, we have been invited and I have been there to give my response”. She cried out loud in a telephone interview with this reporter, even though the report alleged misappropriation of funds, with poor or nonexistent oversight by the MCE.
The document alleged that: without recourse to the annual budget for 2013 and respect to Act 663, 2003, the Municipal Co-coordinating Director,Mr. Rufai – Ahmed Ibrahim singlehandedly awarded the renovation of the MCE’s residence on contract to one Kwasi Gyan Ent in 08/2013.
The document went on to explain that it took the media’s intervention to get the earlier contract sum which was pegged at GH¢93,000.00 revised to GHC73, 000.00 by a committee set by assemblymen to deal with the matter.
In spite of the reduction of the contract sum, questions still linger about the aptness of the committee formed by the Assembly members which deliberated and settled on the GH¢73, 000.00 for the project.
The MCE, Municipal Coordinating Director, Mr. Rufai-Ahmed Ibrahim and the Financial Officer, Mr. Kashimu Ashiadu in circumvention of internal controls, rules and regulations and state laws were alleged to have negotiated and contracted a supplier to supply 200 low tension poles at GHC500.00 each from Akomandon (Dupol), a figure which the document claimed was over and above the quantity and price budgeted for as of 2014.
The assembly this paper was told originally budgeted for 100 poles expected to cost GHC30, 000.00 in December, 2013.
“Upon several questions from stakeholders, they hastily in their quest to window dress the issue , caused a publication to invite bids for the procurement of the poles in February 2014 and awarded the contract in March, 2014 to pave way for them to share the booty of GHC40, 000.00”. The report said
Meanwhile in the midst of all these, an internal Auditor of the Assembly has been told to leave the Assembly “with immediate effect,” under bizarre circumstance. He has been transferred on the presumption that he was behind the leakage of some corrupt practices at the Assembly, to the media.
According to insiders, with the aid of one “Nyame Bohyeno Abamu Ent.”, a company allegedly owned by the Finance Officer, Mr. Ashiad, the Assembly was drained to the tune of about GH¢2, 500.00 in the process of procuring office equipment from the SSNIT Account for the Municipal Water and Sanitation Office.
On the issue of ghost names Ghost names and recruitment irregularity, personnel officer of the Assembly, Nana Kwang Bediako was acusesed of allegedly recruiting and backdating appointment dates. “A case in question is the recruitment of one Okra who has been posted to Tano North District Assembly and Yilo Krobo District Assembly respectively in 08/2012 to 12/2012”. The statement alleged