Press Conference By Natoinal Democratic Congress

Press Conference By Natoinal Democratic Congress (Ndc) Constituency Executives AND A CROSS-SECTION OF YOUTH ON 19TH FEBRUARY, 2011 READ BY AWUDU S. KARIM

Ladies and gentlemen of the media, thank you for responding to our invitation to attend this press conference. First of all we wish to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to the NDC fraternity in Salaga Constituency for their contributions in the promotion of peace and sanity in the area. We also want to ensure the entire constituency that the paramount interest of the area is a matter of concern to the party. On 15th February, 2011, a number of allegations were leveled against Honorable Alhassan Mumuni, the District Chief executives of East Gonja District on Joy FM and its affiliates. This press conference is to debunk these allegations with convincing reasons and facts on the ground.

Ladies and gentlemen, one of these allegations is that the said District Chief Executive sells contracts to outsiders. The District Chief Executive without any doubt works within the framework of the procurement Law even in the awarding of contracts to qualified contractors in his attempt to ensure quality of work. Thus it is surprising for such an allegation to be levelled against him. It is important to understand that the DCE does not either sells or award contracts to contractors. The responsibility of awarding contracts lies with the tender board and the tender committee of the Assembly. Perhaps what some people need to know is that some contracts are awarded directly from the national and regional levels. This might be what some people perceived as selling or awarding contracts to outsiders. It is unfortunate that some people easily make unguided statement without facts which could cause the nation dearly.

Ladies and gentlemen of the media, another allegation levelled against the DCE is that he creates disunity in the party. It is highly doubtful if those leveling these allegations against the DCE are truly NDC sympathizers and more so actually reside in the constituency. If one had followed the events from the period the said DCE who contested the 2008 NDC parliamentary primaries and lost and the effort he made and brought the two factions together to mobilized support for the needed victory for both the then parliamentary and presidential candidates in the constituency. It will be ungrateful to suggest that Hon. Alhassan Mumuni would want to create disunity in a party he was a deputy chairman of the constituency executive from 1996 until his appointment as a DCE.

Truly, after the NDC victory and subsequently on assumption of office of Hon. Alhassan Mumuni as DCE, the expectations of the party loyalist were very high and once the expectation of individuals cannot be met at the same time, the was perceive factionalism in the party. Upon realizing the situation the major stake holders (the Member of Parliament, Hon. Alhaji Ibrahim Dey Abubakari, The DCE, Hon. Alhassan Mumuni together with the constituency executives) acted quickly by organizing series of meetings at various levels of the party structures to advice and caution party supporters to desist from aligning themselves with individuals or groups within the party which could affect the effort in consolidating the party’s strength in the constituency. We will therefore describe these faceless so called concern party members as enemies of progress and this unwarranted action of theirs rather is an attempt to create disunity in the party.

These interventions contributed greatly in realizing the present state of peace, sanity and unity particularly in the NDC fraternity and Salaga as a whole. Ladies and gentlemen, could this effort made by the DCE be referred to as creating disunity in the party? NO

Our friends in the media, one of such allegations levelled against this noble DCE is ‘running of one man administration’. Is it taking the sole responsibilities of District Assembly activities? Or taking the sole responsibilities of NDC party activities? DCE is the Executive head of an Assembly and for that matter the representative of the government. In this light he/she is to ensure proper implementation of projects in the district and he or she does not do it alone. He or she is supported by administrators and technocrats. With reference to the above responsibilities of a DCE it would be fabricative to suggest that Hon. Alhassan Mumuni runs a one-man administration. Also within the party structure, the DCE of any ruling party is suppose to serve as a leader of the party in the district. He renders various forms of support to the party executives and the party as a whole. He also makes sure that all the party structures function accordingly and resolve whatever differences that may cropts up in the party within a district. Indeed the actions of Hon. Alhassan Mumuni is nothing difference from the above stated roles.

Our comrades, it was also alleged that the DCE in question is arrogant. Arrogance might be explained as a disregard to other human kind. Contrary to this Hon. Alhassan Mumuni is a personality with a high sense of humility, gentility, responsibility, creativity among others. It is therefore astonishing for such a man to be described as arrogant. It is worth mentioning that the party in the constituency had inaugurated a committee of eldest headed by Alhaji Ibrahim Expect to deal with emerging issues that will affect the party’s fortunes in the 2012 general elections. The DCE is human and in any human institution there is no perfection and so members should use the available structures and channels in addressing their grievances rather than washing the dirty lineage in public.

Ladies and gentlemen of the men of the media, it was also alleged that the DCE is under performing with regards to his roles and responsibilities. It is so disappointing for somebody to exhibit his ignorance and his personal character as a liar by saying that the DCE of East Gonja District is inefficient in performing his duties. It will interest you to know that, for the first time East Gonja District Qualified for Functional Organisational Assessment Tool (FOAT) was in his regime and he has again led the district to qualify for the second FOAT assessment. Hence people with questionable characters should desist from deceiving the public by making unrealistic statements.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is interesting to know that this is a DCE under whose two (2) year tenure of office has been able to bring and implement about fifty-four (54) developmental projects to the district. Below is a table with some of the developmental projects in the areas of health, education, water and sanitation, good governance and security and road.

HEALTH

NO. PROJECT TITLE LOCATION SOURCE OF FUNDING REMARKS

1 Construction of rural clinic Fuu DWAP completed

2 Construction of nurses quarters Fuu DWAP completed

3 Rehabilitation of 3no Health Centres Bunjai, Kafaba and Kpambu CBRDP completed

4 Construction of 3-unit classroom block for Health Assistant Training School. Kpembe DWAP completed

5 Supply of furniture for Health Assistant Training School. Kpembe DWAP completed

6 Rehabilitation of 2no Bangalow for the staff of Health Assistant Training School. Kpembe DACF completed

7 Construction of toilet for Health Assistant Training School. Kpembe UNICEF completed

8 Construction of health post Kpanshegu CBRDP completed

9 Rehabilitation of children ward Salaga DDP completed

10 Completion of DMHIS office accommodation Salaga DACF On -going

Source: DPCU EAST GONJA DISTRICT ASSEMBLY, 2011

EDUCATION

NO. PROJECT TITLE LOCATION SOURCE OF FUNDING REMARKS

1 Construction of 3-unit classroom block with auxiliary facilities yahayili DWAP Completed and in-use

2 Construction of 3-unit classroom block with auxiliary facilities Garin Shanu DWAP Completed and in-use

3 Construction of 3-unit classroom block with auxiliary facilities Massaka CBRDP Completed and in-use

4 Supply of furniture to 2no 3-unit classroom block yahayili DWAP Supplied and in-use

5 Construction of 4- bedroom bungalow for District Director of education Salaga DACF Completed and in-use

6 Completion of Dining Hall Complex at Salaga SHS Salaga DWAP/DACF Completed and in-use

7 Construction of 3-unit classroom block with auxiliary facilities at T.I. SHS Salaga DWAP Completed and in-use

8 Completion of 6-unit 3-unit classroom block with auxiliary facilities Kindenge GETFUND Completed

9 Completion of 6-unit classroom block with auxiliary facilities St. Anthony, Salaga GETFUND Completed

10 Completion of 6-unit classroom block with auxiliary facilities Nikata GETFUND Completed

11 Construction of 6-unit classroom block with auxiliary facilities Salaga D/A Primary GETFUND Works on- going

12 Construction of 6-unit classroom block with auxiliary facilities Sabonjida GETFUND Works on- going

13 Construction of 6-unit classroom block with auxiliary facilities Matahiko GETFUND Works on- going

14 Construction of 6-unit classroom block with auxiliary facilities Abrumase GETFUND Works on- going

15 Construction of 6-unit classroom block with auxiliary facilities Kigbatito GETFUND Works on- going

16 Construction of 6-unit classroom block with auxiliary facilities Bavim GETFUND Works on- going

17 Construction of 6-unit classroom block with auxiliary facilities Kabache GETFUND Works on- going

18 Construction of 3-unit classroom block with auxiliary facilities Kabache Kabease DACF Works on- going

19 Construction of 3-unit Teachers quarters Massaka NORPREP Works on- going

20 Construction of 3-unit classroom block with auxiliary facilities Grushi Zongo DACF Works on- going

21 Construction of 3-unit classroom block with auxiliary facilities Akamade DDF Works on- going

22 Construction of 3-unit classroom block with auxiliary facilities chambulugu DDF Tendering in progress

Source: DPCU EAST GONJA DISTRICT ASSEMBLY, 2011

WATER AND SANITATION

NO. PROJECT TITLE LOCATION SOURCE OF FUNDING REMARKS

1 Extension of Water Board pipelines from Tamale to five communities in the Jantong Area Daboashe, Dashie, Kpandu, Wulanyili UNICEF Completed

2 Drilling of 11 successfully boreholes Kigbatito, Talkpa, Chambulugu, Bunkwa and others UNICEF Completed

3 Construction of Small Town Water System Bunkwa UNICEF Completed

4 Construction of Small Town Water System Talkpa UNICEF On- going

5 Construction of Small Town Water System Kpembe UNICEF Tendering in progress

6 Construction of Small Town Water System Adamupe NORST Tendering in progress

7 Construction of five KVIP for basic schools in the district Adamupe, Massaka, Kabache etc UNICEF Completed and in use

8 Construction five public toilets Salaga and Kpembe DACF Work in progress

9 Rehabilitation of five public toilets Salaga DDF Work in progress

10 Rehabilitation of Jello Dam Jello DACF Completed and in use

11 Rehabilitation of Kulpi Dam Kulpi CIFS Work in progress

Source: DPCU EAST GONJA DISTRICT ASSEMBLY, 2011

GOOD GOVERNANCE AND SECURITY

NO. PROJECT TITLE LOCATION SOURCE OF FUNDING REMARKS

1 Construction of 5-unit police accommodation Abrumase DWAP Completed

2 Rehabilitatieon of District Megistrate Bungalow Salaga DACF Completed and in use

3 Rehabilitation of Deputy co-ordinating Director Bungalow Salaga DACF Completed and in use

4 Construction of Boys quarters and fence wall at DCE residence Salaga DACF Work in progress

5 Construction of police station Kpalbe DDF Tendering in progress

6 Construction of police quarters Kpalbe DDF Tendering in progress

7 Rehabilitation of Ghana Nation Fire Service accommodation Salaga DDF Tendering in progress

8 Construction of area council accommodation Kpembe DDF Tendering in progress

9 Rehabilitation of District Finance Office Salaga DACF Work in progress

10 Rehabilitation of District Administration block Salaga DACF Work in progress

11 Construction of resource centre for persons with disability Salaga NORPREP Work in progress

Source: DPCU EAST GONJA DISTRICT ASSEMBLY, 2011

ROAD SECTOR

NO. PROJECT TITLE LOCATION SOURCE OF FUNDING REMARKS

1 Spot improvement of Kitoe to Kitoe Nkwanta Kitoe CBRDP Completed

2 Reshaping of Nakpayi to Mabuni road Mabuni NORPREP Completed and in use

Source: DPCU EAST GONJA DISTRICT ASSEMBLY, 2011

Notwithstanding the above, the DCE also has a lot of developmental targets in the areas of education, health, water and sanitation, agriculture, electricity, gender and development and general economic empowerment. Any attempt to remove Hon. Alhassan Mumuni as the DCE of the District at this prevailing circumstance is equally pouring water on your cooking fire.

Ladies and gentlemen of the press, on this note we would like to once again express our sincere gratitude to you for sacrificing valuable part of your time to attend this conference. May the Almighty God sends you back safely to your various destinations. Thank you all for coming.