The MCE for Keta, Emmanuel Gemegah, has debunked allegations about him abusing his power with sale of premix by some concerned youth group.
He described the allegations as hogwash, hollow, mischievous and lacking merit.
Mr Gemegah in a press release stated that it is a deliberate orchestration by some aggrieved and self-seeking individuals who are allegedly being financially sponsored by some individuals whose nefarious and illegal activities his administration has sought to combat ever since he became the MCE for Keta in 2021.
He noted that his aim to ensure due diligence, value for money and social justice to all has been a challenge to such faceless individuals in the society, hence their resolve to tarnish his hard-won reputation and that of the assembly.
“Perusal of the press document and verbal vituperations by the organizers and their sponsors point to only one conclusion; personal hatred and self-aggrandizement and I would have loved to gloss over all the issues raised but for the respect I have for the public and the image of the municipality,” he said.
Mr Emmanuel Gemegah noted that the claim of him being autocratic and denying fishermen from receiving premix fuel is false adding that the people themselves are aware that MMDCEs have not been given the power to be in charge of the supply of premix fuel at any landing beach across the country and he is not an exception.
“It must be placed on record that the National Premix Committee Regulations (L.I. 2233) has not given any MMDCE the power to be in charge of supply of premix fuel at any Landing Beach. The supply of Premix fuel is done by the National Premix Committee. This committee decides when a consignment is loaded and which LBC receives such consignment,” he said.
Mr Gemegah has also challenged any fisherman or net owner to come out with evidence of claim that he /she was denied of premix fuel.
He noted that “I have served my people in many portfolios and such cannot be said about my leadership style being autocratic. It is a figment of their own imagination.”
On the accusation of improprieties and accountabilities, he noted that the group alleged that he supervised improprieties of the equitable distribution and sales of the premix fuel along the coastal sector of the region which is false and should be condemned by all.
He noted that the coastal sector of the region spans from Anloga, Ketu South and Keta and that per the local government Act 2016[Act 936] he does not have jurisdiction over the administrative boundaries of the remaining five districts.
“How then do I control the distribution and sale of premix fuel in these areas? Even in my own municipality, I do not dick around in matters of distributions and sales of the premix. Instead, I am on record to have put in place stringent measures to reduce or halt the sale of the fuel to non-fisher folk, hoarding and transporting of the fuel to neighbouring districts and Togo, to the detriment of the poor local fishermen. Such claims by the organizers, therefore, are loads of drivel and should be treated with the contempt that it deserves,” he said.
Mr Gemegah noted that per the National Premix Fuel Committee Regulations, Section 22 (2 a i), the Chief Fishermen are the chairpersons of the Landing Beach Committees and that per Section 23 of the L. I 2233, it is the function of the Landing Beach Committee to ensure the equitable distributions and sale of the premix fuel to fishers. So if the distribution and sale is thrown into improprieties as alleged, then the Chief Fishermen together with their Committees must be held accountable and not him, the MCE.
“On the issue of accountability, the MCE does not have control over the proceeds after the sale of consignments. Per Section 27 (2, 3), each Landing Beach Committee shall open a bank account for the fishing community into which fifty-three percent of the proceeds of margins from the sale of premix fuel shall be paid and the Chief Fisherman, the Secretary and a member shall be signatories to the Bank Account.
“How can the MCE be demanded, to render account for something he has no control over? This can only be a calculated attempt to give the dog a bad name and hang it. If there is any accountability, the Chief Fishermen should be held responsible,” he added.
Mr Gemegah noted that he is rather occupied with the development of the Keta Municipality and not issues if premix fuel which he has absolutely no control over.
“However, if not for malicious intent, an attempt to dent my reputation, and to incite the public against me, these few ‘Concerned youths’ could have done a decent enquiry in order to come out with the truth but what they did was to cunningly, wickedly and deliberately throw dust into the eye of the public,” he said.
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