'Explain how you spent your Common Fund' — Boako, Annoh Dompreh challenge Tano North MCE

There was a charged atmosphere at Duayaw Nkwanta in the Tano North Constituency of the Bono Region when two Members of Parliament (MPs) of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) stormed the town to support cocoa farmers.

Dr. Gideon Boako, MP for Tano North, and the MP for Nsawam Adoagyiri, Hon. Frank Annoh Dompreh, were in the constituency to distribute motorised spraying machines to cocoa farmers at the Duayaw Nkwanta RC Park under the initiative ''AmansanBoafo-Cocoa Farmers Deserve Better.'

The event, however, turned into a platform for the two MPs to launch scathing criticism of the government, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the area, and the Municipal Assembly, accusing them of dereliction of duty.

According to the two lawmakers, the Assembly has failed to improve farmers' living standards despite receiving a large share of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF).

They revealed that as MPs, they receive only 10% of the Common Fund allocated to the district, while the remaining 90% goes to the MCE and the Assembly.

"Even with the little I have received, I have provided boreholes, paid students' fees and provided support to many constituents," Dr. Gideon Boako stated.

"With whatever I want to do with my portion of the fund, I write to you but you are there doing nothing with the 90%. Tell me what you are doing. The money is for the people," he charged.

Hon. Annoh Dompreh, who joined his colleague for the distribution exercise, backed the call for accountability at the local government level, insisting that resources meant for development must be properly utilised to benefit the people.

Scores of cocoa farmers who thronged the RC Park benefited from the motorised spraying machines.

Efforts to get a response from the MCE and the Municipal Assembly were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.