Members of the Western Regional Branch of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) are demanding answers on the mystery surrounding how some GH�6,750 was withdrawn from the association�s bank account in December 2014 without the knowledge of members and even some executives of the association.
The said amount which was transferred into the association�s account early December last year by the West Africa Gas Company (WAGCo) as a sponsorship package for an international conference is alleged to have been withdrawn by the Regional Chairman, Moses Dotse Aklorbortu, under bizzare circumstances.
Deep Throat Sources within the GJA disclosed to The New Crusading Guide that, in December last year, Mr. Aklorbortu impressed on the Regional Treasurer to sign a blank cheque for him to withdraw some monies he was expecting from a corporate organization, explaining that he had directed the said organization to disburse the money into the GJA account.
This request, sources say, the Treasurer refused initially but acquiesed to it later after persistent pressure from the Chairman.
Unknown to members and other executives of the association, Mr. Aklorbortu allegedly withdrew and expended the money together with some three GJA members.
After several querries from concerned members, the Chairman broke his silence on the matter when he told some GJA members that the said money was his own initiative which he undertook to seek sponsorship for the GJA to participate in the 20th Anniversary launch of Radio Eye, an Accra-Based radio station.
He explained that he contacted WAGCo to sponsor some five GJA members for the two-day event, a request which the company granted.
Against this backdrop, he said, he was not obliged to answer questions concerning the said money.
But, some executives and members of the GJA believe the whole episode lacks transparency and occurred at the blindside of the association.
They also claim that the Chairman�s account is inaccurate since checks reveal that only three members together with the Chairman expended the money instead of the five members being proclaimed by the Chairman.
Again, they claim the proposal sent to WAGCo for sponsorship was for an international conference and not for an anniversary of a radio station as claimed by the Chairman.
On December 15, 2014, one of the executives petitioned the Ethics and Disciplinary Council of GJA as well as the National Executive Body to intervene immediately and address the matter.
The two are yet to respond to the petition.
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