Former DCEs Failed to Submit Report

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr. Kojo Baah Wiredu has said that none of the former District Chief Executives (DCEs) has submitted their report on the Rural Electrification Fund.

He said between 1999 and 2000 5.7 billion cedis, which represent three percent of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) was allocated to finance rural electrification.

Briefing the media in Accra on Tuesday the Minister, who was flanked by his two deputies, Hajia Alima Mahama and Capt. (Rtd) Nkrabeah Effah Dartey, said the former DCEs were requested to "report on how this sum has been utilised with a copy of this report to the Ministry."

He told the press, "as at today, not even a single former DCE has submitted the report on how the money transferred to them was used."

He said billions of cedis were transferred to the DCEs in less than a month to the Election Day which could not be traced.

Mr. Baah Wiredu said in one instance an amount of 43,270,118 million cedis was paid in cash to the Asante Akim South District three days to the elections according to an Auditor General's Report. He said when the Auditor General conducted an investigation early this year it came to light that the electrical items were hidden at the District Co-ordinating Director's garage.

The sector minister said in order to reduce unnecessary cost on interest of DACF transferred to the Commercial Banks, new arrangements shall be announced in due course. He dropped the hint that the DCEs shall be directed to have their account with the Bank of Ghana (BoG).

The Minister denied allegations of deliberate delays in the transfer of the fund considering the appointments of new DCEs and records of misapplication of the DACF.

He called on the new DCEs to be transparent in the disbursement of the fund and to learn from the report on utilisation of DACF that would soon come out. He said some of the former DCEs misapplied some of the funds and the details are yet to come out.

Mr. Baah Wiredu said there would be quarterly briefing on the DACF to ensure transparency.

Follow up of audit reports, petitions and complaints from the public would be given serious attention, he said.