I spend my salary on pressing needs of my constituents – Sekondi MP

The Member of Parliament for Sekondi, Andrew Egyapa Mercer has decried allegations being made against his person that he has embezzled his common fund.

Speaking on Radio 360 with Kwame Malcolm in Sekondi, the lawmaker responding to the claims said that he uses his monthly salary for the needs of constituents who call on him.

“I am not a spending officer, I have not signed any cheque to my common fund before when Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) signs cheques for the beneficiaries to go and pay their fees. The cheques are addressed to the schools directly to avoid anyone misappropriating it.

“Even if the Lord has not been so good to me, my career all these years will not push me to go to the extent of looking for Common Fund monies. However, somebody is out there saying all sorts of things. In the name of claiming they have the development of Sekondi at heart.

“If you want the development of Sekondi is it the leveling of false accusations against my person when you know very well that such accusations are frivolous,” the Deputy Energy Minister queried.

The lawmaker stated that he cannot fathom the reason people can peddle falsehood against others just for political expediency.

“Then after all that, they want to go scot-free and not be held accountable for such malicious allegations? The trend in politics now is if you insult someone the person must keep quiet. How long can this continue? People who have lived their lives and feel they have to give their quota to the development of their country must be called criminals.

“What am I using common fund monies for? Even with the salary that I earn, I do not get to spend it, I give all out to people in my constituency who are in need.”

“They call daily with their needs of hospital bills, school fees and I have to strive to look for support for all of them. I do that willingly and with joy. How come can one say a fund that the government has set aside such as the common fund I have embezzled?” the lawmaker bemoaned.

Mr. EgyaPa Mercer however denied claims that he deliberately avoided the recent forum by a group calling itself “Rise Up Sekondi” in a bid to avoid being accountable for the various constituency funds that come under his office.

“For the past 6 years that I have been a Member of Parliament, every year consistently I undertake community engagements in all the electoral areas. I avail myself for accountability. On many occasions, I avail myself to various radio stations including yours and speak on various developments and projects being undertaken in Sekondi. Phone lines are activated for all and sundry to pose any query. Is that not accountability? So how would anyone suggest that I have been invited to an accountability forum and I avoided it?

“Initially, however, I heard on WhatsApp platforms about a time for an accountability forum. Later they put up a banner and I heard someone alerted them whether they had sought my prior availability. They then wrote a letter and left it with one Jamkay and my mother. If I may ask, if you need someone for a program do you leave the invitation with the said person or with a third party? Which constituency has put up an event like that for their Member of Parliament to come and render accounts?” the deputy energy minister quizzed.