New Juaben MCE denies allegation

The New Juaben Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Alex Asamoah, has denied media reports that he has caused financial loss to the assembly through the payment of sitting allowance to some assembly members to monitor projects of the assembly.

He said contrary to the report, members of the committee were rather ensuring that money owed the assembly was paid and projects of the assembly were also executed as scheduled, and in accordance with specification to minimize corruption, which would rather cause financial losses.

According to Mr Asamoah, the accusation by some media outlets that he formed the monitoring and evaluation committee to serve his own interest, was baseless.

He explained that the Local Government Act 21 allows for the formation of sub-committees to help the executive committee, which was made up of the MCE and other assembly members, to work well.

Mr Asamoah told the Ghana News Agency in Koforidua that the committee was not in contradiction of any law and as it was formed based on recommendations made by the executive committee at a meeting.

Mr Asamoah said the sub-committee, chaired by Nana Sarfo Katanka, assembly member for Akwadum, was tasked to monitor the assembly’s projects.

He dismissed allegations that committee members took daily allowance of Ghc60 each as reported in the media.

The MCE said each member took Ghc30 per sitting, which often occurred twice in a week, depending on the exigency of an action that needed to be taken following findings.

He said the committee detected that some public toilets owed the assembly more than Ghc70,000, adding that the committee was a stumbling block to some people who were seeking their own interests.

Mr Asamoah gave the assurance that he would prevent people from spending government funds illegally.