Bongo DCE accused of misappropriation of funds

Members of the Bongo District Assembly in the Upper East region are accusing the DCE of misappropriating the assembly’s common fund. According to them the DCE, Clement Atia, has unilaterally approved about GHC160,000 to sponsor a group to the United States for an exchange programme. Chairman of the assembly’s executive committee, Ayim Bisa says the DCE took the decision without the approval of the executive committee. “The DCE and the management team are embarking on an international trip to the USA in the name of the Assembly. “We called the DCE to find out why such a financial commitment without the attention or approval of the assembly,” he alleged, but added no favourable response emerged. He accused the DCE of smuggling a document to the Assembly claiming the amount allocated for the trip had been okayed by the Assembly when nothing of the sort had happened. The DCE however declined to comment on the issue when contacted. Meanwhile, officials at the Local Government Ministry say expenditure on such trips are subject to the approval of the minister and therefore urged the executives to forward their complains to the appropriate quarters. Story Moses Kanga/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana