Citizens of Kumawu in the Ashanti Region said they have been shortchanged by their Member of Parliament (MP), Hon. Philip Bassoah as far as the construction of a GHC3.4billion DVLA office in the constituency.
The residents are however demanding answers from the MP who they claimed has a lot of corrupt deals under his carpet.
In a statement signed by Ebenezer Ofori Sarpong, popularly known as Citizen Ebenezer, an indigene and citizen of Kumawu Constituency in the Ashanti Region on behalf of the citizens, he indicated that the MP quoted to have spent 340,000 Ghana Cedis (3.4billion old Ghana cedis) on renovation of an existing DVLA building.
This amount, they said can build at least a fully furnished 6-unit classroom block.
“This means you could put up a building from the scratch. Why did you spend such a whopping amount on just renovation? Where is the money honorable? We don’t want to think you inflated the cost for your personal gains. This is deception at the greatest level,” he stated.
According to him, the MP also claimed that the money was from his Common Fund, but there are clear evidence that the Ministry of Special Initiatives as part of their 1million dollars per constituency project allocated funds for a NEW building; believing that the MP Hon Philip Bassoah did not put up a new building but used the GHC3.4billion to renovate.
“DVLA has outsourced and privatized the road worthy aspect of their responsibilities, given that the project is wholly private per the arrangement of DVLA who only set standards to the private investor, the big question is; how come public funds is used to renovate private interest project? That existing structure being renovated is a public one and so is the private investor under any agreement to pay monthly rent? We as citizens want to know and see the agreement. Hon who is the Investor? Our investigations show that he is related to you sir. Can we know the details?” he asked.
He also reiterated that the people were made to believe that drivers’ license would be issued and renewed at the 3.4 billion renovated office and work to start last year June, but aside the “shady and shoddy deal” allegedly found in the process and the execution of the project, the office is still not in operation as the Kumawu DVLA is not going to issue and renew licenses as promised by the MP.
He also stated that their District hospital is left crying for continuation of which their MP has never commented about it on the floor of Parliament or outside, yet he keeps claiming he is working on it.
To the aggrieved citizens of Kumawu, some Members of Parliament however swindle their electorates with unrepentant lies and fabrications to win power and even after being elected become dictators and Lords over their constituents and even over other government officials in the constituencies.
Ebenezer Ofori Sarpong stated that, “The worst part of it is the stinking corruption with lack of probity and accountability that has crawled into some of these members of parliament who perpetuate corrupt acts with no iota of remorse.”
All efforts to get the MP to speak to the issue proved futile.
