Assembly Members in the Bosomtwe District of the Ashanti Region have petitioned President John Dramani Mahama to remove the District Chief Executive (DCE), Hamidu Abdallah, over allegations of persistent overspending and the alleged commercialisation of equipment under the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP).
At a press conference, the Assembly Members said an audit report had revealed excessive administrative expenditure, particularly on communication, despite budgetary provisions for laptops to make communication with members cheaper and more efficient.
“Why does the Assembly continue to spend heavily on printing letters and using vehicles and fuel to distribute them to members across the district, when the budget had already made provision for laptops?” questioned Nana Akwasi Asare Nyansapor, Assembly Member for Akokofe and leader of the petitioners.
The petitioners said the alleged overspending was one of nine major concerns that could lead them to initiate a vote of no confidence against the DCE if action is not taken.
Another major concern, they said, is what they describe as the deliberate obstruction of the District Road Improvement Programme.
According to the Assembly Members, the Bosomtwe Member of Parliament has pledged to provide fuel for the DRIP machines to work for two days in each electoral area to help reshape inner roads across the district’s 67 communities.
However, they alleged that the DCE has refused to release the machines for the MP’s initiative while allowing them to be used by private individuals and communities who pay for their services.
The petitioners said they suspect that the alleged commercial use of the machines could be benefiting those managing the programme.
Beyond the audit and DRIP concerns, the petition, which was also addressed to the Ashanti Regional Minister and the Minister for Local Government, accused the DCE of misplaced priorities.
They cited the renovation and refurnishing of his office, which they claim was not included in the approved budget, while streetlight projects remained unattended to.
Other allegations include the failure to brief the Assembly on the government’s 10km-per-district road project, the alleged frustration of communal self-help projects such as a three-unit classroom block at Amankwaadae, and the alleged condoning of illegal mining until a regional task force seized five excavators in the district.
The petitioners also raised concerns about delays in the payment of Assembly Members’ allowances.
They said the DCE and the Coordinating Director were given a two-week ultimatum to respond to their concerns but failed to do so.
However, Mr Abdallah has dismissed all the allegations.
“None of the allegations made against me merits weight to make the President sack me or trigger a vote of no confidence against me,” he said, adding that his actions have been geared towards development.
He said some of the issues had already been addressed at General Assembly meetings but promised to engage the members further.
The DCE also threatened to sue the leader of the petitioners, Nana Akwasi Asare Nyansapor, for defamation, arguing that the allegations could damage his reputation.
