By Charles Tawiah, GNA
Nkawie (Ash), April 27, GNA – Mr. Wisdom Osei Boamah, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Atwima Nwabiagya South, has pledged to deepen accountability and transparency measures following financial infractions uncovered at the Assembly.
The move comes after revelations at a sitting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) indicated that GH¢150,000 was spent on fuel for District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP) equipment in a single day – November 4, 2024, raising concerns about financial oversight.
Describing the disclosures as troubling and embarrassing, Mr. Boamah said the situation underscored the urgent need for stricter financial discipline and openness in local governance.
As part of corrective measures, he announced plans to institutionalise annual accountability fora, dubbed “People’s Assembly,” to be held rotationally across communities.
The platform, he explained, would enable residents to directly scrutinise the Assembly’s finances, projects, and policy decisions.
“This initiative is to ensure that the people, who are the true owners of public resources, have the opportunity to examine how those resources are managed,” he said, stressing that accountable leadership must be open to public evaluation.
The MCE disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Nkawie, following the PAC sitting held in Kumasi.
He noted that beyond the planned fora, he had already begun engaging citizens through churches, mosques, and community gatherings to account for the Assembly’s activities, insisting that accountability should be continuous and not limited to audit cycles.
Mr. Boamah explained that since assuming office in May 2025, he had prioritised safeguarding public funds and ensuring their judicious use, even though the infractions occurred prior to his tenure.
He assured residents of his determination to restore integrity in the Assembly’s financial management and appealed for their continued trust and support.
Further disclosures at the PAC sitting showed that the Assembly spent an additional GH¢200,000 on December 31, 2024, without proper description, despite earlier hiring equipment for similar work expected to be carried out by DRIP machinery.
Mr. Boamah maintained that such lapses would not recur under his leadership, emphasising that transparency, prudent financial management, and public accountability would remain central to his administration.
GNA
Edited by Yussif Ibrahim/Kenneth Odeng Adade