The Honorable Member of Parliament for Obuasi West Constituency, Mr. Kwaku Kwarteng Agyemang has responded to calls by the Obuasi West National Democratic Congress (NDC) and sections of the constituents on Face book to come render accounts on the utilization of his share of the Common Fund.
“To start with, it is entirely right for the people to ask for accountability from public officers, and I have nothing against those who do those”, he explained.
He was Commenting on a Facebook post by Emmanuel Agyemfra Boateng, Editor for Obuasitoday.com on the need for him to render accounts on his share of the MP’s Common Fund.
According to him he is not the one who signs for cheques for the Common Fund so cannot be blamed match but rather directed all critics to the Municipal Chief Executive.
“The MP’s Common Fund is a misleading expression because it gives the impression that, the fund is managed and controlled by the MP; that is not the case, the MPs common Fund is one of the many accounts of the Obuasi Municipal Assembly controlled and managed by the Assembly”, Mr. Kwarteng explained.
According to the former spokesperson on Finance with the erstwhile Agyekum Kufour government, all projects undertaken with the Common Fund is paid directly from the Municipal Assembly.
Hold the Assembly Accountable.
Mr. Kwaku Kwarteng added that, the amount that comes to him as the MPs Common Fund is less than 1%.
“Finally, let’s also note that if we put all the funds that come to the Assembly together, the portion that goes to the MP’S Common Fund is less than 1%.
That is to say, if GH¢100 comes to the Assembly, the amount that goes to the MP’S Common Fund will be GH¢1. Is it right for us to say that we are not interested in the 99% that goes to the Assembly but call on the MP (not the Assembly) to account for how the Assembly has disbursed the funds in the MP’s Common Fund?”,he queried.
He ended by calling on the Obuasi West NDC secretariat to rather call on the Municipal Assembly to come account for the money. “If the NDC press conference had called on the Assembly to account for all the funds that the Assembly controls and manages, that accountability will cover what the funds in the MP’S Common Fund have” been used for because the MP’S Common Fund is one of the funds controlled by the Assembly”.
