By William Yaw Owusu
Tuesday October 12, 2010
A GOVERNMENT appointee at the Agona East District Assembly, Kojo Amoakwa is calling for accountability by accusing the District Chief Executive (DCE) of the area for failing to utilize budgeted funds to renovate a market at Agona Duakwa in the Central Region.
According to Mr. Amoakwa the assembly approved GH¢15,000 (150 million cedis) for the renovation of the Duakwa market in 2009 which was never done yet the DCE, Oremous Arko presented the same amount for approval for 2010 but could not explain how the money approved for 2009 was spent.
Mr. Amoakwa who visited DAILY GUIDE in Accra on Thursday complained bitterly about the rate at which development was slowing down in the district saying “we have the resources and the potential to develop as a newly-created district but some people at the helm are not helping matters at all.”
Explaining what had gone wrong in the district, Mr. Amoakwa said when the assembly met in March to approve the budget, he raised the issue of the GH¢15,000 in the 2009 budget which was earmarked for the Duakwa market renovation but the DCE could not explain anything except to say that he was going to organize a dinner in Accra and invite all Duakwa citizens in Accra and Tema to raise funds to reconstruct the market.
“As we speak, the fundraising dinner never took place and the market was never renovated yet the assembly approved the funds on two occasions.”
“A portion of the market has collapsed. People are now forced to sell on the streets and this causes a lot of inconvenience to motorists especially on market days (Thursdays).”
He said lack of regular meetings at the assembly is hampering development adding “there are no programmes going on in the district. Things are at a standstill.”
When reached for his side of the story last Thursday, the DCE said he was in Takoradi in the Western region attending a meeting and asked the paper to call back but persistent calls and a text messages sent to him later on all went unanswered.
On Monday when he was contacted again, the DCE in an angry voice said DAILY GUIDE should come to the district before he would speak and hung up.
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