Mr Ellimah is innocent - NADMO Regional Coordinator

Sekondi, July 4, GNA - Mr Padmore K. Nyekopa-Arthur, Western Regional Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), has said allegations of misconduct made against Mr Joshua Kwaja Ellimah, Nzema East District NADMO Coordinator were false.

He said the allegations were meant to discourage him from contesting four other persons for the post of District Chief Executive for the Nzema East District.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview at Sekondi on Monday, he said one Samuel Ackah, a member of the Nzema East tree planting gang, petitioned the District Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) that Mr Ellimah had on some occasions underpaid members of the Urban Tree Planting Programme, which is under the Government Plantation Development Unit of the Ministry of Lands and Forestry.

Mr Nyekopa-Arthur said members of the gang were paid daily and received 14,000 cedis a day and that it was totally false that they were underpaid.

"The Ministry determines the amount to be paid each member", he said, and explained that the Ministry had contracted him to supervise the activities of the group.

Mr Nyekopa-Arthur said he received a letter dated June 26, which was copied to the District Office of CHRAJ and signed by Mr Samuel Ackah and Francis Arthur, both members of the tree-planting programme asking the CHRAJ to discontinue the case, because "we have realised our mistake and are sorry for any inconveniences this might have caused". Mr Nyekopa-Arthur said the withdrawal of the allegations were suggestive that Mr Ellimah was innocent.