The former District Chief Executive (DCE) for Asunafo in the Brong Ahafo, Hon. Mohammed Doku, has hit back at the current DCE for the area, Mr. George Boakye, concerning some allegations leveled against him.
Hon. Doku described the allegations as false, fabricated and calculated to tarnish his hard won reputation.
Reacting to the allegations, which were published in The Chronicle, September 2nd edition on its front page, captioned," CORRUPTION WAR 2 DCEs trade accusations", stated that he was fully exonerated by an audit team set up by the NPP government to audit his office as DCE.
According to him, he did not misappropriate the funds given to him to purchase household items to furnish his bungalow neither did he benefit from the profit that accrued from the sale of kerosene for Goaso and Asumura, as alleged by Hon.Boakye.
To buttress his point, Hon. Doku, now the Brong Ahafo Regional Secretary for NDC, presented a letter to The Chronicle, titled "Instruments of Appointment For District Chief Executives", paragraph six of the letter signed by one Addai Kyeremeh, a director at the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, read as follows: " the audit report of the Asunafo District Assembly has been submitted and no adverse findings were made against Mr. Doku, during his short term in office".
The letter, dated September 19th, 2002 with reference number SCR/MLG.19/SF.3/53 addressed to the Chief of staff and copied to the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, stated that in view of the clearance, the Ministry recommended that Mr. Doku's salary for the period 15th of September 2000 to 12th February 2001, together with his end of service benefits for the period is paid to him.
The letter recalled that in August 2000, the former Head of State nominated Mr. Doku as DCE for Asunafo and the Assembly properly endorsed his nomination on 5th September 2000. It added that he was subsequently sworn into office on September 15th, 2000.
The then Chief of Staff, according to the letter could not issued Mr. Doku's instrument of appointment before the change of Government on January 7th, 2001.
The Regional Minister for Brong Ahafo Region, as indicated in the letter confirmed in a letter No. SCR/BA.0311/SF.4 dated 23rd February 2001,that he was actually DCE for Asunafo from 15th September 2000 to 12th February 2001, and was not compensated for his service during the period.
In April 2001, the Ministry of Local Government decided to defer action on the petition until a special audit inspection on the MMDAs was completed, the letter stated.
Mr. Doku in a letter to the DCE, Mr. Boakye dated November 28th, 2001, titled "Re-Final Audit Report on Asunafo District Assembly" stated that his attention had been drawn to the submission of the audit report to the Assembly by the special audit team from the Auditor's General Department (AGD) and he expressed his displeasure at the unethical and unprofessional manner the whole exercise was carried out.
The former DCE pointed out to two key issues raised against him personally, as a former DCE, which were not correct.
Commenting on the issues, the NDC Regional Secretary explained that upon assumption of office as DCE in September 2000, he visited the Residency with one of the assembly members. At the Residency, according to Doku they saw one broken bed and a set of furniture and all the other household items had been removed.
The then District Coordinating Director was queried about the whereabouts of the items, but no tangible reply was given.
He said he could not occupy the Residency without those items and he therefore directed the DCD to replace those items to enable him move into it.
Hon. Doku explained that after discussions, the DCD issued a Cheque for ?15,838,000.00 and which was cashed by the Accountant for the purchase of the lost items.
He said, "since I was travelling to a meeting at Sunyani on October 7th, 2000, I was compelled to take along with me one person and a driver to do the purchasing.
According to Mr. Doku, an amount of ? 1.2 Million was deducted from the money to the Accountant to pay for 3 beds ordered for the Residency by the DCD, leaving an amount of ? 14,683,000.00, which was carried along to Sunyani.
He disclosed that he could not lay hands on the storekeeper over the weekend, but all items that were bought at Sunyani were sent to the stores for Storekeeper to take inventory, before they were sent to the Residency.
Hon. Doku however indicated that he could not remember if the Accountant appropriately recorded the receipts of the beds purchased, since it was the duty of the Accountant.
He believed that it was the monies for purchasing the beds that the auditors claimed were with him.
He added that, the beds were currently at the Residency being used by the DCE, Mr. George Boakye.
Hon. Doku denied that he had a hand in the sale of kerosene, saying the DCD, Mr. Appiah, was delegated to handle it.
He further challenged Mr. Boakye to provide evidence to back his allegations.
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