Our Storekeeper has been indisposed for the past eight months

Accra , Aug. 10, GNA - Mr. Jude Alex Tuffour, Acting Accra Metropolitan Assembly Coordinating Director, on Monday told the three-member Presidential Ghana@50 Commission that they have been unable to account for the Ghana@50 souvenirs allocated to the assembly because the storekeeper had been indisposed for the past eight months.

He also stated that GH¢271,715.05 had been deducted from their share of District Assemblies' Common Fund although they did not receive plastic anniversary cups that were supposed to have been allocated to the assembly.

Mr Tuffour, who was testifying before the Commission, said he did not receive any documentation instructing them to sell the souvenirs and therefore decided to distribute them free to staff of the assembly.

The Acting Coordinating Director, who earlier stated that he did not know how many anniversary T-shirts that were sent and who received them, later stated that they were about 2,000 T-shirts that were distributed and because the storekeeper was indisposed there was nothing that the assembly could do in terms of accounting.

He said he was not aware that his outfit constructed public toilets for the celebrations although he was the Deputy Metropolitan Coordinating Director at the time.

"As soon as the storekeeper is well we shall do our best to reconcile our books," Mr Tuffour said.

The Acting Coordinating Director, who was occasionally supported by Nii Dromoh Tackie Yawboi (correct), the Financial Director, to answer some of the questions, admitted that the clearing of lunatics and beggars off the streets of Accra was a nine-day wonder.

He also admitted that it was a criminal offence for people to be begging on streets but explained that they were not adequately empowered to enforce that law.

Mr William Kwesi Nimoh, Ga East District Coordinating Director, said his outfit had received directives on the sale of anniversary souvenir when he appeared before the Commission, but wondered why GH¢50,715.00 was deducted from their share of District Assemblies' Common Fund for plastic anniversary cups when they had not received the items.

He said GH¢3,325.00 was realized from the sale of anniversary souvenirs and had since been deposited in the District Assembly's Accounts.

Asked if they had followed up to find out why plastic cups were not supplied and yet deductions were made, Mr Nimoh said the Assembly had communicated that to the Ghana@50 Secretariat but did not receive any reply.

GNA