Delays In Release Of Fund Hampers Development Projects

Delays in the release of Member of Parliament's Common Fund has been singled out to be inhibiting the fulfillment of campaign promises of legislators to their constituents. Mr John Oti Bless and Mr Joseph K. Ofori, members of Parliament for Nkwanta North and Akan constituencies respectively said this at separate public forums at Kpassa and Kadjebi. The forum, organised by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) and funded by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), was to assess the performance of the MPs in relation to their campaign promises in 2012. It was themed, "Promoting citizens participation and MP's Accountability and Responsiveness." They said the release of the funds and the high cost of items directly or indirectly affected development projects as the funds are in arrears from the third quarter of last year. The MPs pledged to redeem their promises in the long-run and urged the fund organisers to promptly release the development resource on time. Mr Oti said work on the redemption of a crucial campaign promise on electrification project was ongoing in 13 new communities from the five that were connected to the national grid in 2012 which was through his intense lobbying skills. He said over 400 pupils and students from the first cycle to the tertiary levels were benefiting from a scholarship scheme and lobbied for the procurement of two vehicles for the Police Administration at Kpassa. Mr Ofori mentioned the construction of nurses� quarters, procurement of photocopier machine and computers for basic schools as well as scholarship schemes were some of the promises he had redeemed. He said privately he funded the construction of a urinary at the Kadjebi lorry park. Mrs Regina Amanfo Tetteh, Project Coordinator at CDD-Ghana, said the forum is a follow-up on what was started in 30 constituencies and called for the institution of town hall meetings at the grassroots level. Mrs Tetteh commended the legislators for using their initiatives to bring development closer to their people even in the face of financial difficulties.