Northern Regional Minister Salifu Saeed has said the request for the 26 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies in the Northern Region to pay GHS5000 each as their contribution towards President Nana Akufo-Addo’s tour of the area was not officially sanctioned.

Mr Saeed in a statement has directed all metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives in the region to disregard the directive.

“I wish to make it clear that the decision, which was arrived at by the MMDCEs themselves and based on precedence had no official sanction.

“The president has toured a number of regions since assuming office as president and all these trips have been funded from the budget of the office of the president,” he stated adding that: “I wish to, therefore, direct all MMDCEs in the Northern Region to disregard the contents of the earlier letter as circulated on social media.”

A letter from the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) dated Friday, September 29 and signed by Chief Director, Alhassan Issahaku on behalf of the Regional Minister gave the assemblies up to Monday, 2 October to bring their contributions.

The letter explained that the contributions are being taken to put together the required arrangements for a successful tour of the President from October 6 to 8, 2017.

“Each assembly is required to contribute an amount of five thousand Ghana cedis (GHC5,000) payable by Monday, 2nd October, 2017,” the letter said.