Participants at a stakeholders' meeting on the Annual Budget Performance of the Agona West Assembly, have expressed concern about the costs of development projects executed by the Assembly.
The participants included chiefs, opinion leaders, religious bodies, hairdressers, traders, chemical sellers and heads of department.
The meeting, organized by the Assembly, was aimed at informing the public on the Assembly's utilization of state and donor funds.
The participants expressed dissatisfaction about the way the Assembly utilized funds provided by the Government of Ghana and donors,
They wondered how a 10-seater toilet constructed by the Assembly at Agona Abodom could cost 61,000.00 Ghana Cedis or 6.1 Million old Ghana Cedis).
They protested vehemently against 33,000.00 Ghana Cedis spent on an office for drivers of the Assembly, and called for an investigation into the matter
Mr Yaw Elyass Ishaq Tawiah, immediate Past Assemblyman for Nyakrom Oduma/Zongo Electoral Area, alleged that the construction of the drivers’ office, was not approved by the General Assembly.
Mr Tawiah regretted that as an immediate past Works and Development sub-committee member, he did known how the project was constructed.
Mr George Sarfo, druggist, was surprised about the 77,000.00 Ghana Cedis cost of a Community Centre at Agona Swedru Yalewa Zongo, and called for scrutiny of the project.
He regretted that the project was sited on the proposed road at Yalewa Zongo, and said it could suffer demolition in future.
Mr Sarfo expressed concern about the failure of government to release money to Departments and Agencies for over two years, which he said, posed threat to social developments.
He said the situation has seriously affected and deprived government agencies and departments of performing their statutory functions.
The participants appealed to authorities of the Assembly to be more considerate about the costing of projects, to enable them reserve funds for other projects.
Mr Ebo Mensah, Agona West Municipal Finance Officer (MFO), refuted allegations by the public that projects costs had been inflated by authorities of the Assembly.
He said the projects went through proper procurement and tender processes, before contracts were awarded to deserving contractors.
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