BA Regional police Boss, DCOP Kwame Tachie-Poku
Information reaching DAILY GUIDE in the Brong Ahafo Region indicates that the kingpin of the syndicate that stole fertilizers from Mandela Warehouse in Sunyani recently has been let off the hook.
The suspect, whose name was only given as Solo of the Sunyani Municipal Agric Office, is said to be behind the theft of over 3,000 bags of fertilizer from the Mandela Warehouse meant for the government’s flagship programme, ‘Planting For Food and Jobs.’
The police, in collaboration with the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), are currently investigating circumstances under which the fertilizers worth GH¢600,000 were stolen from the warehouse.
Regional Minister, Kwaku Asomah Cheremeh, on Monday held a press conference and announced that the security agents were investigating the matter, but refused to mention names.
However, DAILY GUIDE’s investigation revealed that Solo was the brain behind the plot.
Five others are also being questioned by the police.
According to sources, Solo from October, 2017 to June this year transported fertilizers from the warehouse in trucks and tricycles after work.
“He failed to make entries after the fertilizers were transported from the warehouse. The boys, who helped to load the fertilizers onto the trucks, said they were aware that the items were being stolen due to the time that the culprits operated.”
DAILY GUIDE’s checks at the regional agric office also revealed that per the regulations, only 20 bags of fertilizers are to be taken from the warehouse in a day.
“But solo personally accompanies the trucks to load more than 250 bags a day. There was nobody in charge of the warehouse so the workers had a field’s day.”
Though Solo has been invited for questioning, it’s unclear whether he has been arrested or interdicted.
“Before the anomaly was detected, agric officials in the region, particularly, the regional director did not know the number of fertilizers in the warehouse. A former municipal agric director called Asamoah, who is now on pension, was the only one who had records on the fertilizers. He has since been invited by investigators.”
DAILY GUIDE further gathered Solo was previously given the keys to the warehouse to perform official duties there.
“He duplicated the keys to the warehouse to steal more than 3,000 bags,”the source added.
The paper cannot independently confirm the position of Solo at the Agric Office.
According to reports, the government has blamed the Regional Minister, Kwaku Asomah Cheremeh, for failing to effectively keep the materials meant for the ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ programme.
danielyaodayee@yahoo.com
From Daniel Y Dayee, Sunyani