Avoid temptation to embezzle funds - Minister to MMDCEs

Mr. Paul Evans Aidoo, Western Regional Minister, has cautioned Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to adhere to financial control mechanisms and comply with provisions in the Procurement law in the award of contracts.

He also advised them to respond promptly to all internal and external audit queries in order to avoid being dragged to the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament.

“Team up and involve all stakeholders in the development of the Assemblies and be transparent and accountable to the people as well as avoiding all acts that are tantamount to embezzlement,” Mr Aidoo said.

Mr. Aidoo gave the advice at this year’s maiden Stakeholders’ Meeting of the Regional Coordinating Council in Sekondi, on Wednesday, to take stock of last year’s activities and strategise the way forward.

The event brought together Heads of Departments of the various decentralized institutions, Ministries, Departments and Agencies, presiding members and chief executives of the 22 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the Region.

Mr. Aidoo used the occasion to congratulate and welcome the newly appointed MMDCES and PMs and urged them to work in unity and harmony with all the stakeholders to propel the development efforts of their respective assemblies forward.

He noted that the chief executives were both political and administrative heads of their respective assemblies; therefore, they must mobilize adequate traditional sources of revenues for the performance of their numerous functions, instead of relying solely on the District Assemblies’ Common Fund, Urban Grants and District Development Facility.

The Regional Minister identified some challenges militating against the development efforts of the Region, such as illegal small-scale mining popularly referred to as “galamsey” which had polluted many water bodies and destroyed the environment.

Others included chieftaincy and land litigations, deplorable road networks, youth unemployment, child labour in some cocoa growing areas, armed robberies and the menace of indiscriminate sanitation practices.

Mr. Aidoo therefore tasked the Judiciary Committee of the Regional House of Chiefs to expedite action in resolving all outstanding chieftaincy cases to ensure unity and harmony in the Region.

He also challenged the MMDCEs to work closely with the various District Security Committees to crackdown on the nuisance caused by the activities of illegal miners in order to preserve the environment for the future generations.

Notwithstanding the aforementioned challenges confronting the Region, Mr. Aidoo mentioned some ongoing and completed projects, including the following road projects: Apimanim/Elubo, Tarkwa/Ayanfuri, Asankrangwa/Enchi and asphaltic overlay within the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis.

The rest are the Takoradi Port expansion programme, reconstruction of Sekondi-Kojokrom railway lines, Small Town Water projects, Atuabo Gas Processing Plant, sea defence project at Aboadze, Ngyerisia, Nkotompo and Funkoe, as well as numerous education and health facilities.

Some Heads of Department also gave accounts of some activities they undertook last year