Five offices locked up in Ellembelle District over rent

Five public institutions under the Ellembelle District Assembly in the Western Region have been locked up over unpaid rent allowances.

Workers of these institutions on Monday morning, December 17, 2018 went to work but to their utter dismay, their offices were locked up.

The Ellembelle District Assembly was created by former President John Agyekum Kufuor in 2007 and since that time, the Assembly has been renting offices for some institutions working under it.

In 2009, the NDC government rented a storey-building at the District Capital, Nkroful and gave it to these institutions to render services for the Assembly.

The five institutions in contention here are the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Social Welfare Department, the Youth Center, Non-Formal Education and National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE).

When the news broke in the District that offices of these five institutions have been locked up over indebtedness, some residents in the area began to splash social media blaming the Assembly of owing the Landlord for over three years. Others also blamed the DCE for the area, Hon. Kwasi Bonzo for deliberately not clearing the debt.

Commenting on the unprecedented incident, the DCE told Correspondent that the information circulating on social media about him was untrue.

He admitted that the Assembly was owing the Landlord but not in arrears for three years.

He said the NPP came to power to meet arrears but revealed that the Assembly had paid a chunk of the arrears owing the Landlord and was now left with 5,000 Ghana Cedis to clear.

He, therefore, expressed little disappointment over the Landlord for taking such decision without informing the Assembly.

Mr. Bonzo gave the assurance that the District Finance Officer was in the process of clearing the arrears owing the Landlord.

He pledged to solve the issue amicably and allow these institutions to operate effectively.

The DCE revealed that the Assembly has secured land for the construction of an ultra-modern Assembly Complex to accommodate all the institutions under it.

Currently, the Ellembelle District Assembly doesn't have an Administration Block and Assembly Hall for effective running of the Assembly.

He, seized the opportunity to advise some people in the District to cross creck news before circulating on social media.

As at the time of filing this report, the five offices were still under lock and key.

Source: Daniel Kaku