DCEs Summoned To Ghana@50 Probe

Former District Chief Executives throughout the country would be summoned by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry probing the activities of Ghana @50 Secretariat to render account of their stewardship. The Chairman of the Commission, Justice Isaac Duose, who announced this yesterday, said some complaints had been levelled against the former DCEs in connection with the district activities on Ghana @50 celebration; hence, the Commission�s decision to summon them to give their sides of the story before it is able to come out with the final conclusion on the matter. This followed the Abura Aseibu Kwamankesi DCE�s inability to render account for Ghana@50 activities and souvenirs when he appeared before the Commission yesterday. Joseph Acquaye Derben, who was unable to tell the Commission the quantity of souvenirs the district received, said the District Chief Executive was responsible for the quantity of souvenirs received because according to him, �the DCE took delivery of the items from the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC)�. �My Lord, the anniversary T-shirts, cloths and cups did not pass through the store and therefore we do not have record of souvenirs. It was the DCE who took delivery of the items,� he stressed. Mr. Derben�s action compelled the Chairman to caution officials from the public service not to be afraid of DCE�s, but be bold and point out their mistake when they go wayward, explaining that most of the officials panic they would be transfer, saying transfer was not a punishment or demotion. Questioning the criteria been used in the selection of DCE�s, Mr. Douse observed that most of the DCE�s have no experience from the public service. Admitting his mistakes, Mr. Derben pledged in future to prevail upon the DCE to ensure that every item received by the Assembly passed through the store before distributions were made. Earlier, Mr. Derben told the Commission that the district received GH�85, 000 instead of GH�10, 000 from the RCC through the Secretariat for its activities. Besides, he added, 48 pieces of cloths were issued to the Assembly, which he claimed there was no receipt indicating they had paid for them. When asked why he received the said amount and not the actual allocation of GH�10,000 being given to all districts Assemblies, the witness replied, �I presumed the remaining amount was used to cater for the 48 pieces of cloth�. Revealing that over 11million old cedis was disbursed to purchase fuel within a period of nine days for the celebration and 40 million old cedis for biscuits and Kalypo, the witness was unable to tell the Commission the number of vehicle which were supplied with fuel. Explaining why the Assembly used the huge amount, he narrated, �My Lord we were running some errands for the Secretariat and some of the vehicles were sent to buy biscuits and Kalypo for the school children�. When he took his turn, the DCE for Twifo-Hemang Lower Denkyira District Assembly, Daniel Kwabena Koomson, said the Assembly received GH�10, 000 from the Secretariat through RCC for its activities and realised an amount of 11 million old cedis from the sale of T-shirts. He noted that the Assembly�s celebration was euphoric, characterised with gymnastic and brass band music to enable the people have a feel of the celebration. Describing the district planning Committee, which stirred the affairs of the celebration, as dynamic and powerful, Mr. Koomson hinted that the Assembly had over �6 million in its account, having paid for �42 million for the cost of plastic cups. The first consignment of fifty pieces of anniversary cloths, he disclosed, had been paid for while the second consignment had not been paid for, admitting that �my Lord we are fully aware that we owe the Secretariat but we will account for it when the day of reckoning comes�.