Probe the Wanton Dissipation of IGF of MMDAs used to Support the ‘YES CAMPAIGN’
The Chamber for Local Governance (ChaLoG) has noted with deep concern the wanton dissipation of a staggering Ten Million Ghana Cedis (Ghc 10,000,000) of the Internally Generated Funds (IGF) of some MMDAs through the formation of the District Assembly Referendum Committee, which was specifically set up to spearhead the YES Campaign in all the 260 MMDAs across the country.
The main objective of the District Assembly Referendum Committee was to vigorously campaign and ensure a massive YES Vote in the abortive 17th December Referendum.
Against this background, ChaLoG’s findings across the 260 MMDAs in the country established that 200 MMDAs each spent an amount averaging Fifty Thousand Ghana Cedis (Ghc 50,000) of their IGF in support of the Yes Campaign exercise.
These allocated funds were mainly expended on Stakeholder Engagements, YES Campaign Banners & Posters, hiring of Halls, Canopies & Chairs, Refreshment and Water for the electorate as well as aspiring Assembly Members & Unit Committee Members who were in attendance and Allowances for the Referendum Committee Members.
In the strongest view of ChaLoG, the Internally Generated Funds of these MMDAs should have rather been prudently used to educate the citizens, on what the whole Referendum was about and the benefits and/or implications for the local governance architecture if citizens were to go for a YES or NO vote.
This ChaLoG believes, would have rather afforded the citizenry in the MMDAs the opportunity to have been adequately informed to have allowed them to make their own decision, whether to have gone for a YES or NO Vote in the 17th December abortive Referendum.
ChaLoG therefore condemns in no uncertain terms, the wanton dissipation of the IGF of the bulk majority of MMDAs across the country to take a ‘partisan’ YES position in the abortive Referendum which is completely at variance with the core functions of MMDAs as enshrined in Section 12 of the Local Governance Act, 2016 (ACT 936).
ChaLoG therefore wishes to caution MMDAs to as a matter of urgency, desist from using Assemblies IGF for purposes which do not ultimately inure to the supreme benefit of all citizens within their areas of jurisdiction. Assemblies are also cautioned to stop engaging in such profligate ‘partisan’ expenditures which do not inure to the total benefit of the citizens whose sweat and toil is the very source of the MMDAs IGF.
ChaLoG, finally wishes to make a passionate appeal to the the Auditor General’s Department to as a matter of interest probe and possibly surcharge those MMDAs which were involved in this wanton dissipation of their IGF on the abortive Referendum.
Long Live Local Governance
Long Live ChaLoG
Long Live Ghana
Signed
- Dr. Richard Fiadomor President 0243138633
- Hon Romeo Eliklpim Akahoho Executive Secretary 0244967680
- Hon Alhaji Ibrahim F. Faila Public Relations Officer 0244237456
- Ing. Joshua Quist Director of Research 0546456940
Cc
Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development
Auditor General
Civil Society Organisations
Parliamentary Select Committee on Local Government & Rural Development
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