DACF does not owe Atwima Mponua MP – Collins Dauda
Alhaji Collins Dauda, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, has said official records does not indicate that Mr Isaac Kwame Asiamah, the Member of Parliament for Atwima Mponua, is owed under the District Assemblies Common Fund.
He explained that per the records submitted to his Office by the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Atwima Mponua District, there is no outstanding payment to be made to the MP.
The MP is at loggerheads with the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, Stephen Yeboah, over delays in releasing GH¢45,000 being outstanding payment of his share of the Common Fund.
The amount is part of second quarter payments released to the Assemblies by the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) Administrator for projects to be directed by the legislators.
Mr Asiamah had sought refuge in the Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Edward Doe Adjaho, to summon the Minister responsible for Local Government to appear before the House to clarify the issue.
When the Minister arrived, Mr Asiamah at question time, rose to ask the Minister what had occasioned the delay by the DCE for Atwima Mponua in giving effect to his (Mr Asiamah’s) share of the Common Fund to be disbursed for the stated purpose and when it would be disbursed.
The Minister responded: “Mr. Speaker, there is no outstanding payment to be made to the Hon. Member so far as our records are concerned.
“In the first quarter of this year, a total amount of GH¢73,938.31 was released to him by the District Assembly Common Fund. Out of this amount, the District Assembly Common Fund paid GH¢15,098.31 to Conpa Enterprise and GH₵58,840.00 paid to Premium World.”
“In the Second Quarter, an amount of GH¢56,102.07 was released and this amount was also paid to Lexmall by the District Assembly Common Fund.”
Mr Asiamah, however, insisted the DCE still had GH¢45, 000 locked up in the Assembly’s accounts, which he had refused to disburse for his stated purpose.
He also told the House that several letters he wrote to the DCE demanding the outstanding payment had not yielded any result.
“The DCE wrote to me that I have forged his signature and that he was not going to respond to the letters,” he stated.
Alhaji Dauda, pleaded with the Speaker to indulge him to have a meeting with the two factions, Mr Asiamah and Mr Yeboah, to enable him to bring the matter to an end.
Source: GNA