Accra, Aug. 19, GNA- Mr Clement Dandori, Sekondi- Takoradi Metropolitan Co-ordinating Director, on Wednesday suggested the need for the Administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund, to explain why he surcharged the assembly in respect of Ghana@50 souvenirs meant to be distributed free of charge to students. He made the suggestion when he addressed the Ghana@50 Commission of Enquiry in Accra.

Mr Dandori said the metropolitan assembly noticed that a total amount of GH¢ 124,179.60 was deducted from its common fund in lieu of plastic drinking cups, which Ghana@50 Secretariat directed that it should be distributed free-of charge to students. Mr Dandori who was testifying before the Commission said when he noticed the anomaly he drew the attention of the then Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE).

The MCE, Mr Dandori said, remarked that the deductions cut across all assemblies and that the issue was to be raised at the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana conference to be addressed, but he heard nothing of the issue.

Mr Dandori said what baffled him most was that the assembly prior to the releasing of GH¢ 10,000 by Ghana@50 secretariat for the celebrations, the assembly had already ordered for the souvenirs at the cost of 60 pesewas for each cup.

However the deductions effected to the assemblies common fund indicated that a cup cost GH¢6.39, which to him was outrageous. "My Lord, I think there was overpayment and this matter should be referred to the common fund administrator for an answer," he said. All the representatives of the assemblies who had appeared before the commission had complained of high deductions to their common fund allocation in respect to the plastic cups.

Most of the representatives of the assemblies in the Western Region, who appeared the commission accounted for the GH¢ 10,000 that the Ghana @50 Secretariat provided them to support activities of the anniversary celebrations.

However, there were varied responses on the issue of souvenirs that were meant to be sold and the proceeds rendered to the Secretariat. Most of them could not account for all the proceeds realised from the sales.

Some of the witnesses either blamed their District Chief Executives (DCEs) for hijacking the proceeds or one official or the other for not keeping proper account of receipts.

Justice Isaac Duose, Chairman of the Commission expressed wonder why District Co-ordinating Directors allowed the DCEs to unilaterally handle programmes without questioning their actions.

"How for example, can you who are university graduates allow some of the DCEs who were only Junior High School headmasters dictate to you what to do, when in actual fact you are there to advise them"? He said the commission would soon invite the Administrator of District Assembly Common Fund to answer why certain deductions were made from various Assemblies and what such monies would be used for. 19 Aug. 09