Police return diverted equipment to Brong Ahafo Regional Minister

The Brong Ahafo Regional Police Command has promised to prosecute all those who will misuse the government’s earth moving machines meant to be used by municipal and district assemblies in the region.

The Regional Crime Officer, Superintendent Nana Kwaku Duah, gave the warning when he handed over 12 out of 15 heavy-duty machines which were diverted by individuals under the erstwhile NDC government to the Brong Ahafo Regional Coordinating Council.

The three pay loaders, four graders, one bulldozer, four tipper trucks, were received by the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh.

Three tipper trucks have not yet been found.

Presenting the machines, Superintendent Nana Kwaku Duah, said preliminary investigations revealed that the equipment came into the region in the later part of 2015 and were supposed to be given to the regional coordinating council to create a regional plant pool to enable the assemblies in the region to hire them for road construction.

But some individuals, who hired them for their private work, used the proceeds.

He, however, promised that investigations were ongoing and all those who would be found culpable would be prosecuted.

He said the Police Command thought it wise to hand them over to the RCC to prevent their destruction during the investigations.

Receiving the equipment, the Regional Minister, Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, thanked the police and individuals whose vigilance led to the recovery of the machines.

He said but for the change in government, the number plates and the colours would have been changed.

“There is not a single document covering the machines at the RCC, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, wrote to enquire about the status of the machines recently, he stated.

He promised that the trucks would be put to good use in the region.

It would be recalled that immediately after the erstwhile NDC handed over power to the Nana Addo led government, some vigilantes of the NPP in the region, alleged that some 15 earth-moving machines meant for the use of the assemblies in the region had been diverted by the Regional Organizer of the NDC in the Brong Ahafo Region.

Police investigations led to the retrieval of 12 machines.

Two of the machines are still with the Offinso District Assembly in the Ashanti Region.

Others were found at Kwapong in the Asunafo South District of the region, but have been packed at Goaso under mysterious circumstances.