Chief wants bribery allegation against Minister probed

The Paramount Chief of the Nkonya Traditional Area, Nana Okoto Kofi III, has urged the government to conduct full-scale investigations into a bribery allegation against the Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, Mr. Kwadwo Adjei-Darko, over the siting of the district capital at Nkonya, in the newly-created Biakoye District in the Volta Region.

According to the chief, since the bribery attempt had been exposed, the government should do its best to prosecute the culprits, for they cannot allow such 'miscreants" to be with them.

"As the scheme of the bribery attempt has now been exposed, we want the government to, as a matter of urgency, prosecute those who bribed the Minister, to serve as a deterrent to others, since bribery is a criminal offence.

"In addition, it is our humble request that the government, through the minister, initiate moves to inaugurate the Biakoye District, to pave way for development projects to kick-start, in the newly-created Biakoye District."

Nana Okoto Kofi, in a statement to demand the prosecution of the Worawora kingpins, who were behind the plot to bribe the minister, said, "We have also observed, with keen interest that those actions being taken against the government, over the siting of the District capital, were nothing but an attempt to sabotage government's commitment to developing the nation equally."

According to him, on his own behalf, the leaders of his community, opinion leaders and his subjects, "we demand that, the constituency Chairman of Biakoye, Mr. Forson Anane Agyei, who was reported to have stormed the offices of the Minister, to retrieve the bribe money on behalf of his cronies, be quizzed to tell us what he knows about the bribery scandal, as an attempt to influence the Minister."

"In fact, our independent investigations about the chairman revealed that he has been the pivot in leading the disgruntled chiefs from Worawora, to frustrate the government, and consistently plant advertisers' announcements in various newspapers, to paint the District Chief Executive, Mr. Solomon Donkor, and his administration black."

"We cannot allow such treacherous characters, who parade the corridors of some chiefs of Worawora, without suggesting a possible solution, but poison their minds to create more headaches for the government, to dwell among us in a society. They would destroy the nation's fabric to the detriment of all of us."

"It is therefore on this note that we hasten to say, we cannot sit down unconcerned to see our district suffer, just because some selfish individuals have made it their hallmark to foment trouble for the nation. Such people should be exposed. We also believe that the bribe money should not be returned to the people involved in the scandal, but should be sent into the government's chest for development."

Nana Okoto Kofi asserted further that, "It has now been established that the abortive inauguration of the District, last February 29, was at the instance of the activities of those whose stock in trade now is to resort to bribery and corrupt practices to achieve their goals.

"We the chiefs, and the opinion leaders of Nkonya were shocked to hear and read the accounts of the Minister, that some chiefs from Worawora, the very people who were against the siting of the District capital at Nkonya Ahenkro, have embarked upon dubious moves to achieve their whims and caprices."

Nana Okoto Kofi and his subjects contend that the bribery money should be used as evidence to prosecute those involved.

When Mr. Anane Forson, Constituency Chairman for Biakoye was reached on phone, he could not confirm or deny storming the office of the sector Minister except to say that he would not do anything untoward to tarnish the image of the Minister, and the NPP government.

According to him, there was no iota of truth in the bribery allegation, and that he met the Paramount Chief of Nkonya, where he explained everything in detail to him.

"As far as I am concerned, there is no issue. I have explained everything to Nana Okoto Kofi, and he was satisfied with my explanation," he said.

Mr. Anane Forson, declined to comment further on the matter, when pushed about what he knew about the issue.