The Concerned Assembly Members of the Agona West Municipality have protested against the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Evans Coleman, over the alleged diversion of items meant for the youth in the area.
The items, donated by the Ghana Enterprises Agency and Mastercard Foundation, included sewing machines and hairdryers designated for youth apprenticeship training.
At a press conference in Swedru, spokesperson Jallal Adam accused the MCE of diverting the equipment to Chris Arthur, the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) parliamentary candidate for Agona West. The members described this as a violation of local government regulations, emphasizing that the items were intended for fair and transparent distribution.
According to Mr. Adam, the alleged diversion was an attempt by the MCE to gain favor from constituents after a period of neglect and unfulfilled promises. He also alleged that DRIP machines, recently inaugurated in the district, were exclusively given to the NPP candidate, without consulting Assembly Members or setting up a timetable to deploy the machines for road repairs across electoral areas.
Additionally, Mr. Adam claimed that street bulbs, funded by the Assembly, were handed over to the NPP candidate to be installed in the ruling party’s strongholds. He criticized this as “unacceptable,” arguing that public resources should benefit all citizens, not just one political party.
In response, the spokesperson called for the MCE to publish an itinerary for the DRIP machines to ensure equitable distribution of development initiatives. He also urged transparency in distributing the sewing machines and dryers provided by the Ghana Enterprises Agency and Mastercard Foundation, to help reduce political tensions.
Mr. Adam cautioned that failure to address these concerns would likely lead to further discontent among the Assembly members.
When contacted, Mr. Coleman denied all allegations regarding the diversion of sewing machines, dryers, DRIP machines, and streetlights.
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