The Municipal Chief Executive for the Hohoe Municipal Assembly, Mr. Andrews Teddy Ofori, has debunked claims of non-performance and allegations of lack of transparency and accountability, levelled against him by an Assembly member, Mr. Stephen Ahlidzi and some others, he describes as financiers against him.
Mr. Ahlidzi, the longest serving Assembly member of the Hohoe Municipal Assembly, on June 20th at a press meeting in Hohoe, called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo, to remove the MCE, over his incompetence and other allegations.
The MCE however, at a press conference on Tuesday, described as misleading, non-factual and untruth, contents of
the press meeting held by Mr. Ahlidzi, an Assembly member for the Gbledi Electoral Area.
He noted that the claims by Hon. Ahlidzi and his ‘cohorts’ that the Hohoe Municipalipal Assembly, under him (MCE), has not initiated any developmental projects, are inaccurate and an attempt calculated to undermine his achievements.
“To Hon. Ahlidzi and his cohorts, if there’s nothing at all to boast of, through the dint of hard work, perseverance and judicious use of resources entrusted to our care, we have moved the Hohoe Municipal Assembly from no position to the enviable position of number one, among 25 Municipal/District Assemblies in the Volta and Oti regions, for five consecutive times -a feat which is unprecedented in the 40yrs history of the Assembly”, he said.
According to Mr. Ofori, the financial performance of the Assembly for the year 2018, has seen tremendous improvement, an achievement borne out of pragmatic steps his administration has taken to augment the collection and blocking of revenue leakages in the assembly.
“If there’s nothing to show, at least, the financial performance of the Assembly in 2018, has seen a tremendous level of improvement. Out of the total projected internally generated revenue of Ghc 990,890.00 for the year 2018, an amount of Ghc 1,008,427.35 representing 102% was realized. This performance has been better than that of 2017, 2016, 2015, and years preceding 2014.”
He listed among others, a 10-seater WC constructed for Hohoe E. P. SHS, Akpafu Secondary Tech. School, Afadjato Secondary Tech. School and St. Mary’s Seminary SHS, a solar-powered borehole for Akpafu Sokpo, Fodome Agbesia, Likpe Alavanyo, a CHIP compound at Likpe Koforidua and the drilling/mechanization of 3No. boreholes for Akpafu Todzi, Alavanyo Dzogbedze and Likpe Avedzeme, as projects initiated and completed under his watch as a Municipal Chief Executive for the Municipality.
The MCE also disclosed that, the Assembly for the past two years, have paid for contractor and supplier indebtedness mainly accrued from some 24 contracts awarded towards the tail end of 2016, by the John Mahama led administration.
“As at December 2016, the Assembly was indebted to contractors and suppliers to the tune of Ghc 3,928,399.03. Out of which, only Ghc 828,692.83 was paid by the previous administration, leaving a balance of Ghc 3,099,706.20.”
“Over twenty-four (24) contracts were awarded towards the tail end of 2016 and for which we have used the past two years to pay for a debt of Ghc 3,099,706.20 we inherited”.
Mr. Andrew Teddy Ofori, further accused Mr. Stephen Ahlidzi of probably sleeping during Assembly sessions, for which he could be pardoned for his show of brazen ‘ignorance’ and pretence or unaware about the development projects ongoing in the Municipality.
He concluded that his administration is committed to working to transform the Municipality to the benefit of the people within the area, in the areas of education, infrastructure, agriculture and security, without being disrupted any individual(s) or groups, who are pawn in the hands of faceless beings.
Story by: Faisel Abdul-Iddrisu / awakenewsonline.com