Phoney HIV/Aids Projects: 39 to Face Legal Action

Thirty-nine executive members of non- governmental organizations (NGOs) including a reverend minister, Rev. Oteng-Larbi of a community based organization (CBO), Apple Africa in the Akwapem North district of the Eastern region, risk facing the full rigours of the law following their disappearances at their project communities.

The members representing 11 organizations, 10 of which are located in the Eastern region and the rest, in the Greater Accra region.

These organizations were given funds by the Ghana Aids Commission to implement HIV/AIDS activities in their respective communities and have failed in discharging their duties with their office could no longer be traced as they vacated their various locations.

Some of the executives to be prosecuted include Benjamin Kwame of the Azza CBO of Yilo Krobo in the Eastern region, Nelson Glago, Samuel Ansah, Komla Gamli and Steve Cudjo, all of the Child Health Education Programme, an NGO located in the Greater Accra region.

Others are Rosely Enyonam Aboagye, Richard Tamakloe, Samuel Ansah, Richard Yeboah Danquah, Joseph Osae, Ammishadai Ansah, Dei Ebenezer, Samuel O. Owusu and William Larbi, among a lot more of executive members of both NGOs and CBOs located in the Eastern region.

The commission has therefore lost about ?600 million to these organizations as a result of their disappearances.

The commission revealed these last Thursday when a team of media personnel undergoing training in HIV/AIDS reporting at the African Institute of Journalism and Communications (AIJC) visited its offices.

According to Prof. Sakyi Awuku Amoa, director-general of the Ghana Aids Commission, his outfit has withdrawn the transactions of five NGOs whilst the accounts of a number of CBOs have been frozen as a result of misusing the funds given them towards the implementation of HIV/AIDS activities.

The training organized by AIJC in collaboration with the public affairs section of the United States embassy was to equip some 30 journalists selected from both the private and public media organizations, with tools and skills in reporting effectively on HIV/AIDS.