Ashanti RCC finds "missing" Ghana@50 documents

Mr Ernest Yaw Kwarteng, former Ashanti Regional Co-ordinating Director, on Tuesday stated that documents on expenditure, during the Ghana@50 celebrations, which his successor said could not be traced because of the death of a storekeeper, were not missing after all.

"My Lord, all the documents were in the office and I did not go on retirement with them, neither did the death of the storekeeper impede information available," he said.

Mr Kwarteng, who was testifying before the three-member Commission, explained that all documents of the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC), including those of the Ghana@50, were duly handed over to his successor who might not have taken his time to go through, due to the short notice.

Two weeks ago, Mr Samuel Otchere Kwesi-Appiah, the current Regional Co-ordinating Director told the Commission that the RCC could not trace the Ghana@50 documents because Mr Kwarteng was on retirement while the then storekeeper had died.

As a result Mr Kwesi-Appiah, who could not provide enough documents to explain the expenditure of the region during the Ghana@50 celebrations, was asked to return with Mr Kwarteng, who is on retirement, to the house.

Mr Kwarteng explained that although the region received a total of GH¢780,000.00 for projects the RCC had to make extra expenditure of GH¢273,460.85 due to the vastness of the Kumasi Metropolis and other districts in the region.

He said a total of GH¢38,760.00 realised from the sale of anniversary cloth was used to finance some of the extra cost since the region did not receive any directive as to how to account for money realised from the sale of the souvenirs.

The former Regional Co-ordinating Director said the Cafeteria and the Amphitheatre of the durbar grounds were yet to be completed and as soon as money was made available, the contractors would be made to continue with work at the sites.

Mr David Assibi Yakubu, Upper West Regional Co-ordinating Director, who was last Thursday ordered to re-appear for presenting two different memoranda, also appeared before the Commission to answer questions from the counsel of Dr Charles Wereko-Brobbey, former Chief Executive Officer of Ghana@50 and Mr Kwadwo Mpiani, former Chief of staff.

"My Lord I have no questions for him," Mr Akoto Ampaw told the chairman of the commission when he was given the opportunity to ask Mr Yakubu questions.

Mr Hope Howusu, Kadjebi, District Co-ordinating Director, said although his outfit initiated the move to construct jubilee schools in the district, it never materialized because there was no funding.

He said their share of the District Assemblies' Common Fund was used to pay for the cost of anniversary cups that they received during the celebrations.