Presiding Member of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has descended heavily on Parliamentarians for allegedly misapplying District Assembly Common Fund for election campaigns instead of on development projects.
Abraham Boadi wants state investigative institutions and the media to put a spotlight on the issue.
He revealed that Legislators receive about six tranches of funds for health, education and other commitments, but the money ends up in their personal accounts for political campaigns at the expense of the welfare of constituents.
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“How many MPs within a year or two have been able to supply teaching and learning materials for schools? Which hospital did they spend the Health Fund on? Cities and towns continue to struggle with potholes. What did they use the money for,” he quizzed.
Mr. Boadi said voters in the Ashanti Region are the worse victims of such misapplication of funds while District Chief Executives look on due to political affiliations with the alleged errant MPs.
“You do all this and you call yourself an MP? The auditors are afraid to audit the MPs, media has also failed to probe them. It’s time we attack them and demand for what they have used our money for?” he admonished.
At a seminar on floods in Kumasi, he singled out Minority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, and Manhyia North MP, Collins Owusu Amankwaa, for praise.
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Two former Municipal Chief Executives have confirmed the allegations Parliamentarians divert Common Fund money for election campaigns.
Richard Ofori Agyeman Boadi for Obuasi and Afrifa Yamoah Ponkoh for Ejisu say MPs connive with Assembly Members and accounts staff to misapply the funds.
However, Richard Ofori noted that some successes have been achieved, and praised former MP for Obuasi East, Edward Ennin, for the construction nurses’ quarters, library and sanitary site at Obuasi Government Hospital.
“A lot of them come out to say they are using the money to pay school fees in their constituencies. What I have heard is that, when they come out, they list onames and say they have given each of them GHS 300; they will connive with staffs at our account offices and give GHS100 to the students instead of the GHS300 that was originally documented for and pocket the GHS200,” Mr. Boadi said.
He faults Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for treating MPs who misuse Common Fund with kids’ gloves.
He wants the disbursement of the Common Fund to be amended to restrict Members of Parliament to only spend the funds on proposed projects that have been approved by the assemblies.
Source:Â Myjoyonline.com
