DCE Blows ¢450m

The woes of the embattled Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Wenchi, Osei Yaw Adjei, seem to be deepening by the day, as his own National Democratic Congress (NDC) party members continue to agitate for his removal from office. When news broke that the MCE had allegedly forced the assembly to cough out ¢445million to renovate a three-bedroom bungalow for his comfort, several members of the NDC in the municipality were up in arms. A planned demonstration against the MCE was called off at the last minute following the intervention of some elders of the party. The MCE, Yaw Adjei, yesterday strongly defended his position on a number of radio stations, saying that the bungalow was in a state of disrepair. He said the money would be used for tiling of the floor, air-conditioners and fixing of the kitchen, even though fixing of the kitchen and tiling were carried out a few years ago. The MCE, who did not show any sign of remorse over what residents had described as his ostentatious lifestyle, justified it to the hilt. Mr Adjei told Adom FM yesterday that if the house was not in good shape, the President might even sack him if he visited the residency, suggesting that he had the endorsement of President Mills. The renovation did not include the replacement of furniture, he said, stressing that was a different cost entirely. It was revealed that the MCE unilaterally ordered the Municipal Finance Officer to use ¢10million to repair his official car which was involved in an accident. He was also accused of ‘jamming’ the private car of the Deputy Municipal Co-ordinating Director and using ¢100million from the assembly’s Transport Account to pay for the damages. Speaking to DAILY GUIDE, one of the youth leaders of the NDC said they had decided to listen to the elders because they (the elders) promised to relay their grievances to the relevant authorities. He said if they waited for two weeks and nothing was heard from the leadership of the party, they would surely hit the streets and force the MCE out of town. According to Kwame Nsiah, the youth leader, they would not sit down for anyone to turn the apple cart upside down. He noted that Wenchi was a strong base for the opposition New Patriotic Party ((NPP) but through hard work, they were able to narrow the gap during the 2008 general elections. In his view, the behaviour of the MCE could worsen the situation of the party and that instead of allowing one person to spoil their chances, they would do everything possible to get him out of their way. Madam Akua Nsowaa, a 65-year-old farmer who said she had been a member of the NDC since its inception, told DAILY GUIDE that they would not sit unconcerned for any young man to spoil their party. She said even though she had never gained anything from the NDC, she was a proud member and would forever remain a proud member of the party. According to Madam Nsowaa, the complaint of ostentatious and profligate lifestyle against the NPP by Professor Mills was rearing its ugly head in the NDC and it must be nipped in the bud. A government appointee at the Wenchi Municipal Assembly, Madam Mariam Akantigsi, told DAILY GUIDE that the assembly approved ¢220 million for the renovation but the MCE doubled the cost, spending extra ¢220 million without approval. She said when the matter came before the august house, there was an uproar and the MCE had to apologize for bypassing the assembly. On Thursday April 29, 2010, the Omanhene of Wenchi Traditional Area, Nana Abrefa Kwadwo Nketia VII, invited all the assembly members to his palace and reprimanded them for allowing themselves to be used in such a bizarre manner. He warned them to be careful when dealing with the finances of the assembly because more had to be done to uplift the image of the municipality. Meanwhile, the issue of the renovation of the MCE’s bungalow with ¢445million was the talk of town when DAILY GUIDE visited Wenchi during the weekend. A random interview conducted by DAILY GUIDE indicated that the majority of inhabitants of Wenchi were not happy with the story and were calling for the immediate dismissal of the embattled MCE. Source: Daily Guide