Chiefs and people of Kpenoe Traditional Area in the Ho Municipality of the Volta Region have petitioned the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to investigate the Ho Assembly over suspected misappropriation of a fund meant for furnishing a health post in their community.
They further urged the EOCO to ensure that those who are found culpable are made to face the full rigors of the law.
According to a petition signed by the paramount chief of the area, Togbe Kotoku XI, and intercepted by DAILY GUIDE, an amount of GH¢5,000.00, which was donated to the community by GOIL Ghana Limited through the Ho Municipal Assembly in August 2016 to equip the Kpenoe Community-based Health Planning Services (CHIPS) compound, could not be traced.
Background Â
About three year ago, the Ho Municipal Assembly constructed a CHPS compound in the Kpenoe community to facilitate easy access to health and provide quality health care to the people.
Unfortunately, the facility became a white elephant due to the absence of furniture and equipment.
To this end, the community decided to come up with a Community Health Support Fund to raise money to furnish the facility.
They wrote letters and proposals to private and corporate entities to raise the funds to procure the necessary equipment to make the CHPS compound operational. For the purpose of accountability, the community decided that all funds be channeled through the assembly.
Missing Money
However, to the dismay of Togbe Kotoku XI and his people, the GH¢5,000 from GOIL is yet to reach the community, although the assembly has received the said amount.
Several attempts made to retrieve the money from the assembly, including follow-ups by the assemblyman of the area, Joshua Boatsie, had been fruitless as the assembly keeps giving excuses.
Togbe Kotoku himself followed up and met with the Presiding Member, Eric Bene and the Municipal Coordinating Director, Kwesi Thompson, in December 2016.
He was assured that the money would be made available, but that has not materialised.
Other meetings with the new Municipal Chief Executive, John Nelson Akorli and the Municipal Finance Officer, Daniel Nelson Dei, have not yielded any positive results, despite a promise that the money would be received by the end of January 2018.
From Fred Duodu, Ho (freduoo@gmail.com)