The Upper Manya Krobo District Assembly in the Eastern Region is struggling to fund fuel for construction equipment provided under the government’s District Road Improvement Program (DRIP).
DRIP initiative aims to enhance road networks across Ghana by empowering Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) with the necessary resources to rehabilitate and maintain roads.
The equipment motor graders, backhoes, rollers, wheel loaders, bulldozers, tipper trucks, concrete mixers, water tankers, and low beds.
Fueling has however become a challenge for the Upper Manya Krobo Assembly.
District Chief Executive (DCE) Joe Sam revealed in a radio interview that the assembly had to borrow money from NPP parliamentary candidate Joseph Tetteh, to purchase fuel for the machinery.
Sources say Ghc20,000 was given by the parliamentary candidate of the NPP to the Assembly.
This admission by the DCE has drawn sharp criticism from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Upper Manya Krobo Constituency.
The NDC condemned the assembly’s decision to go to a parliamentary candidate to fuel support without approval of the assembly members.
In a press conference, NDC Communication Officer Emmanuel Kwasi Laweh, who is also an assembly member, disputed the DCE’s claims describing them as unconstitutional under the Local Government Act and the assembly’s standing orders.
“The DCE claimed on Trust FM last Friday that the District Assembly could not afford fuel for the DRIP equipment and had to borrow from the NPP candidate. This is completely false,” Laweh stated.
The NDC also criticized the NPP for politicizing the DRIP initiative. Laweh argued that the NPP had wrongly attributed the program to their parliamentary candidate, despite it being funded by the District Assemblies Common Fund.
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“The DRIP equipment, which arrived two weeks ago, was falsely presented as an achievement of the NPP candidate, and it was even parked at his hotel,” Laweh revealed.
Laweh also raised concerns about a 2017 incident where a grader, purchased during the late Prof. John Evans Atta Mills’ tenure, was allegedly auctioned to the NPP parliamentary candidate who was then the Member of Parliament without the approval of assembly members for a mere GH₵4,000.
The NDC revealed the accomplishments of the incumbent MP, Hon. Bismark Tetteh Nyarko, in areas such as health, water, sanitation, and education, calling his achievements “unprecedented.”
Laweh expressed confidence that the NDC would retain the seat in the December 7 parliamentary election and secure significant support for the party’s flag bearer, John Dramani Mahama.
Source: Mybryfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
