Reports reaching The Herald have it that, the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization, and Rural Development is up in arms against the over 40 members of the Akuapem North Municipal Assembly, who recently petitioned the minister over Nana Ama Dokua Asiamah-Adjei’s misapplication of the MP’s Common Fund.
The ministry, has written to the Akuapem North Municipal Assembly in the Eastern Region, querying it over the stoppage of the Common Fund, which according to the petition by the assemblymen, is not being utilized in the Akuapem North Constituency, but rather Okaikwei North Constituency in Accra, to elicit votes.
The query sent to the Municipal Assembly through the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Barima Awuah Sarpong Aseidu-Larbi, The Herald, has picked has led to tension and anger among the assembly members, who feel that the Local Government Minister, Martin Kwaku Adjei-Mensah Korsah, is encouraging the lawlessness of the outgoing MP, who is gone hunting for the Okaikwei North Constituency seat.
The Herald’s information is that, Dokua and Martin, are neighbours at Tse Addo – Accra with only a wall separating them.
The two, appear to understand each other well, but the assemblymen, who in their petition, dated August 28, 2024, said the MP withdraws funds from the Common Fund without a clear goal to benefit her constituents, are not aligned with the two.
They could not fathom why Martin, would be using his share of the MPs Common Fund on his Techiman South Constituency in the Bono East Region, but be encouraging the diversion of that Akuapem North Constituency.
They had said that, the withdrawals made by Dokua, have been used to purchase rice, oil, sewing machines, and hairdryers, without any known beneficiaries in the Akuapem North Constituency. They suspect that the statutory payments made to Dokua were being diverted to elicit votes at Okaikwei North Constituency.
“It was rudely discovered that all the hefty funds received were used on frivolous and vexatious expenses without a single beneficiary in the Akuapem North Municipality,” they indicated, highlighting that the MP should not be allowed to make further withdrawals from the Common Fund.
“This is gravely unacceptable as the MPs Common Fund is not a personal fund that the Honorable Member of Parliament can spend anyhow without recourse to the municipality and or the Assembly”, the Assembly members reiterated.
The Assembly members, threatened to trigger legal procedures, if their calls were not heeded.
“We say enough is enough, and we are by this petition bringing to your attention that upon failure to withhold further spending from the Common Fund, we will trigger the necessary legal procedures and protect the public purse, bringing your high office into opprobrium as an accomplice to the abuse and mismanagement of public funds,” they warned.
“It is pertinent to note that the MPs Common Fund is purposely for the service of the constituents as it remains the most widespread activity. It is primarily set out to meet the expectations of the constituents to carry out developmental projects. This allocation is made for MPs to help directly address certain developmental challenges in their districts.
“Given that there has been no serious assessment of the efficiency, effectiveness and or otherwise of the use of these substantial resources or of their impact on poverty alleviation the MPs continue to misapply such resources to their personal gains without recourse to the constituents.
The explained that, “Respectfully, this Petition seeks to address the misapplication and misuse of public funds all in the name of those in authority and in this special circumstance our Member of Parliament for Akuapem North. It will interest you to know that the Honourable Member of Parliament consistently withdraws funds from the MPs Common Fund as the spending officer without any clear-cut goals to benefit its constituents.
“In the past three and half years the Honourable Member of Parliament is conspicuously absent from the Constituency or District however immediately the MPs Common Fund is credited she swiftly instructs large sum withdrawals without better and further particulars of the project/programme/activity, the beneficiaries or beneficiary community of such reckless withdrawals.
“A simple search at the Akuapem North District Assembly will shock you that all the withdrawals by the Honourable Member of Parliament are for the purchase of “rice, oil, sowing machines and hair-dry without any known beneficiaries”.
“Respectfully, we cannot continue to allow such wanton-folly of dissipating and abuse of public funds in such manner.
“At the last Assembly meeting held on 30th May 2024 following the questions as set out below: Total amount received in the year 2021 (Quarter 1, Quarter 2, Quarter 3, Quarter 4); Total Amount Received in the year 2022 (Quarter 1, Quarter 2, Quarter 3, Quarter 4); Total Amount Received in the year 2023 (Quarter 1, Quarter 2, Quarter 3, Quarter 4); Total amount Received in the year 2024 (Quarter 1); The specific programs, projects, or activities these funds have been utilized for. Please indicate the project/programme/activity, the beneficiaries or beneficiary community, and the amount spent on each project/programme/activity, the current balance standing on the MP’s Common Fund account.
“It was rudely discovered that all the hefty funds received were used on frivolities vexatious expenses with beneficiaries unknown. At the said meeting it was sincerely resolved that the Honourable Member of Parliament should not be allowed to make further withdrawals. Consequently, it was agreed that the Akuapem North District Assembly should appeal to the Honourable Member of Parliament to use the balance standing in the MPs Common Fund account as a deposit towards the acquisition of a new Pick-Up Vehicle for the use of the Assembly as the current one is out of use as same has broken down beyond repairs.
To this grim background we have word that the Honourable Member of Parliament is breathing down the neck of the Municipal Chief Executive for Akuapem North to make further hefty withdrawals without any proper project/programme/activity, the beneficiaries or beneficiary community. This is gravely unacceptable as the MPs Common Fund is not a personal fund that the Honourable Member of Parliament can spend anyhow without recourse to the constituents and the Assembly.
“We are, therefore respectfully applying to your high office not to sign and or approve any further request for further withdrawals until a proper audit for value has been carried out to ascertain the use of all the funds withdrawn from First Quarter 2021 to Third Quarter 2024. As members of the Akuapem North District
“Assembly we will not continue to watch aloof whiles the Honourable Member of Parliament continue to misuse and misapply government funds meant for the development of the Akuapem North District Assembly and its constituents on her person and ambitions which have no relevance to the good people of Akuapem North District Assembly.
Respectfully we say enough is enough and we are by this petition bringing to your attention that failure to withhold further spending from the Common Fund, we will trigger the necessary legal procedure to protect the public purse and bring your high office into opprobrium as an accomplice to the abuse and mismanagement of public funds.
“Furthermore, this humbly request is crucial for the citizens of Akuapem North District Assembly to gain insight into the utilization of public funds for community development and to ensure transparency and accountability.
“Additionally, we wish to express our concern regarding the apparent lack of engagement and initiatives from our Honourable Member of Parliament and subsequently frown on her continued absence of community engagement, social activities, and project initiation which raises concerns among the citizens who expect active representation. We respectfully wish to reiterate that the MPs Common Fund for Akuapem North District Assembly is peculiar for the people of Akuapem North District Assembly and therefore the Honourable Member of Parliament has no discretion to apply such funds for any Assembly or District other than the designated one.
“In the circumstances we will not allow the Honourable Member of Parliament to continuously misuse and misapply the MPs Common Fund whiles there are myriad challenges confronting the Akuapem North District Assembly and its constituents. The funds are earmarked for Akuapem North constituents to resolve their challenges, and initiate and complete projects, therefore we the Assembly Members will strictly hold the Honourable Member of Parliament accountable. We will strongly resist any attempt to misuse and misapply public funds particularly for her personal quest to become the MP for Okaikwei North.
“We dare say that the Honourable Member of Parliament cannot render us as an orphan Assembly and yet continue to dissipate our merge resources for her personal aggrandizement”.
“Last but not the least we say that even though the Honourable Member of Parliament is the spending officer of the MPs Common Fund, all sums lodged into the said account is for resolving and bringing relief to the constituents of the Akuapem North District Assembly and therefore the Honourable Member of Parliament is not seized with the right to use or apply same for personal gain.
“We are by this Petition issuing a strong warning to the Honourable District Chief Executive not to sign any further appropriation request submitted before him otherwise we will make public of the reckless obnoxious spending that has been spearheaded by the Honourable Member of Parliament over the past three and half years.
“This is a call to duty as citizens, not spectators, to do what is right and beneficial to the Akuapem North District Assembly and its constituents, adding “We trust that you will treat this Petition will receive utmost goodwill and in accordance with the provisions of the constitution and relevant statutes to safeguard the public purse”.
The petitioners included Joseph Ahwireng-Danquah, a Government Appointee on the assembly, Kofi Mante, the Assembly Member, Larteh Electoral Area, Ernest Kwapong of Assembly Member for Larteh Electoral Area, Augustine, the Assembly Member for Larteh Electoral Area, Sekey the Assembly Member for Larteh Electoral Area.
Others are Foster Yaw Adu-Dartey, the Assembly Member for Amanokrom Electoral Area, Asare Eugene the Assembly Member for Tutu Electoral Area, Asare Francis, the Assembly Member for Tutu Electoral Area.
Kumi Jonathan Kwame, the Assembly Member for Mampong Asinbrom Electoral Area, Odoi Kyene, the Assembly Member for Mampong Otubron Electoral Area, William Oti the Assembly Member for Larteh Electoral Area Kwadjo Yirenkyi, the Assembly Member for Akropong Abuasa Electoral Area.
The rest are Benedicta Offei, the Assembly Member for the Akropong Mpaniase Electoral Area, Asiedu Odei, the Assembly Member for Akropong Osaebrom Electoral Area, Eric Opare Asare, the Assembly Member for Mamfe Electoral Area and Jacob Kyeiboatema, the Assembly Member for the Mamfe Electoral Area.
