Six assembly members in the Nzema East Municipality in the Western Region are calling for the head of the Municipal Chief Executive, James Baidoo.
They are accusing the MCE of reportedly inflating the budget used to organise the recent commissioning of Bamianko Senior High School by President John Mahama on October 13.
At a news conference on Monday, the aggrieved assembly members, led by Mathew Kwabena Essien, assembly member for Grant Hill/Bankyim Electoral Area, revealed that the MCE superintended over a budget worth GH¢43,000 purposely for the event.
They claimed that the disbursement of the budget meant for specific groups who graced the occasion never got to them.
The breakdown is: media, GH¢2,000; assembly members and invited guests, GH¢30 each for 100 invited guests; GH¢500 each for five paramount chiefs in the area, representing traditional rulers; GH¢500 for hiring of plastic chairs (2 cedis each), even when the assembly has over 300 chairs.
The assembly members demanded an inquiry into the budget inflation and an immediate sacking of the MCE, James Baidoo, for gross misapplication of state funds.
Until the appropriate authorities investigate to ascertain the veracity of the accusations, the assembly members threatened not to allow the MCE attend any assembly meeting.
In reaction to the accusations, James Baidoo denied approving the cutthroat budget.
He dared his accusers to use the appropriate channel to petition him. He also challenged them to inquire from the internal auditor of the assembly to verify if indeed he had anything to do with the budget.
"I don't approve budget and I don't disburse funds. They should go to the appropriate quarters and launch complaint and stop the accusations.”
Mathew Kwabena Essien, however, maintains that they have the facts to back the claims. “I always talk with facts,” he pointed out.
Yesterday, the assembly quickly organised a crunch meeting to address the issue and other matters.
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