EOCO probes Asuogyaman DCE

The District Chief Executive of Asuogyaman in the Eastern Region, Samuel Kwame Agyekum, has described as malicious media publication that he has blown an amount of GH¢92,000 for the renovation and furnishing of a bungalow.

The Economic and Organised Crime Organization (EOCO) is said to have set up a committee to investigate the allegations.

Mr. Agyekum was accused of using the amount to renovate the residence of the District Coordinating Director Moses Kobla Joshua, but he has vehemently denied the story saying “it is an attempt by some members of the assembly to disgrace me and the office I hold.”

The DCE claimed that Bismarck Okrah – a former district finance officer; Jonathan Hagan – the presiding member; Steven Adu Acquah- Akwamufie assembly member; and Nana Kwame Wontumi – owner of Asuogyaman FM, were the people “setting the agenda to tarnish his image.”

Per the details, the renovation cost about GH¢72,618 and furnishing GH¢20,000 making a total of GH¢92,000. The assembly also spent GH¢43,332 on four desktop computers and four printers.

Some members in the area who raised concerns over the amount involved in the bungalow renovation, as well as the shortcomings in the district, reportedly petitioned President Akufo-Addo, calling for the removal of the DCE from office.

Petition

According to the petitioners, the DCE has not proactively engaged the rank and file of the party and other stakeholders, and was rather always in the news for wrong reasons.

They claimed the DCE and his cronies were witch-hunting the district finance officer who is committed to protecting the public purse.

Reacting to the claims against the DCE, the Public Relations Officer of the Assembly, Charles Amo-Aboagye, said in a press statement that “in due time, documents available will expose the evil agenda of some self- seeking individuals who see Samuel Kwame Agyekum as a threat to their long-time plans to get a DCE they can manipulate to achieve their selfish aims at the expense of the assembly”.

District Coordinating Director

When contacted, the District Coordinating Director said when he was transferred to the Asuogyaman District in April 2018 he was lodging in a guest house at a cost to the assembly.

According to him, the bungalow left by his predecessor was not in good condition and the assembly took a decision and awarded the contract to a private firm for renovation “after all the necessary procurement processes were made”.

He said it was subsequently approved by the DCE for the renovation and furnishing to be done at the cost of GH¢92,000.

Party Chairman

The Asuogyaman Constituency Chairman of NPP, Godfred Akyea- Darkwa, when contacted by DAILY GUIDE in connection with the issue said “the group petitioned me, and I met the DCE, former finance officer, and some of the assembly members to know what was going on. I gathered that it was false and a deliberate attempt to tarnish the image of the DCE”.

At the time of filing this report, constituency executives of the NPP and the DCE were in an emergency meeting discussing the issue.