'Probe beneficiaries who consumed Nkoko Nkitinkiti birds, it also amounts to looting' – Afenyo-Markin tells EOCO

The Minority Leader in Parliament, Osahen Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has called on the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to investigate beneficiaries of the government’s Nkoko Nkitinkiti Programme who allegedly consumed the birds distributed to them instead of using them for the programme’s intended purpose.

The Effutu MP argued that the birds were provided under a state-funded intervention designed to support livelihoods and boost poultry production, and therefore beneficiaries who consumed them rather than rearing them should be held accountable for the misuse of public resources.

He made the remarks on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, July 14, during discussions on the implementation of the programme.

According to Afenyo-Markin, beneficiaries were expected to rear the birds, sell them and reinvest the proceeds to sustain the initiative.

“They have eaten it. They were supposed to rear the birds and sell and reinvest. Now that they have consumed the birds, what will become of them? What is the accountability in it?” he questioned.

He further argued that if the government is pursuing accountability in the use of public funds, then beneficiaries who failed to use the birds for their intended purpose should also be investigated.

“You guys are talking about accountability, so your party members who got the birds that they said they have consumed and have given evidence to the Minister, are you going to send them to EOCO? Because it is state funds, it also amounts to looting; however, the amount,” he said.

The Nkoko Nkitinkiti Programme was introduced as a poultry intervention to support households and promote local poultry production.