EOCO Challenged- Solve Our Problems Now

-Customers Of Asuopra Rural Customers Cry

By Theodore K. Viwotor

Customers of Asuopra Rural Bank in the Birim North District of the Eastern Region have expressed surprise at the speed with which Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) is handling the Woyome case, when pertinent issues affecting other Ghanaians are not being taken care of.

The customers, who had made complaints to EOCO over two years ago concerning the failure of the Asuopra Bank to make available monies they have saved with the bank, are of the view that the investigative body’s attitude contributes significantly to the perception that it is being used to pursue political agenda.

Speaking to The Daily Democrat at Afosu in the Birim North District of the Eastern Region, P. D Adinyira, Leader of the affected customers, said, the failure of the EOCO-then known as the Serious Fraud Office (SFO)- to conclude investigations into this matter that has made many of them destitute leaves much to desire and brings to the fore the belief that it is biased towards politicians.

Mr. Adinyira said, besides the Bank of Ghana-the supervisory bank-the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), EOCO also stands accused over what he describes as, “crime against humanity.”

“If you are denied of your own savings by a bank supposedly supervised by a Central Bank for over three years, what are you expected to do?,” he asked, adding that, “elsewhere, it would have been a different thing altogether.”

He questioned the sensitivity of politicians to the plight of the electorates, wondering why the NPP, under whose reign the problem started, and the NDC, whose leadership has been petitioned, have all failed to act on their plight when this issue has received publicity for many years now.

He argued that, if a little of the alacrity politicians attach to their issues, is extended to other matters affecting the downtrodden, Ghana will be a better place for all. He called for a shift in that attitude to ensure that those in deprived areas are also taken care of. “If a top-notch politician was affected by this problem, Ghanaians would have witnessed the attention it would have received.

He was, however, optimistic that, if human leaders fail them, God will one day bring them relief from four years of pain and attrition.

Customers of Asuopra Rural Bank in the Birim North District of the Eastern Region have not been able to cash their monies saved with the bank for the past four (4) years.

Several attempts, including petitions to the Presidency, Bank of Ghana and EOCO have yielded no result.