MPs Tractor Saga: "Why Are We So Thirsty About Unnecessary Things" - Sena Dansua

The Minister of Youth and Sports and Member of Parliament (MP) for North Dayi in the Volta Region, Hon. Akua Sena Dansua has hit hard at the some media houses and radio stations for wrongly interpreting the issues concerning the purchase of tractors. She said it was wrong for especially the Daily Graphic to have painted the picture as if she (Akua Sena Dansua) personally profited from the purchase of the tractor. �The way some media houses and radio stations are carrying it is a problem...I am actually embarrassed by that kind of impression being created by some radio stations that I benefited from it (the tractors) personally...Why do we continue to be so thirsty about unnecessary things?� she asked. Speaking in an interview with CitiFm, Hon. Sena Dansua said though she bought the tractor, it was not for her personal use but rather for a farmers� cooperative union in her constituency, adding that till date, the tractor has been in the care of the union. �Since I bought it in 2007, I have not asked anybody to render account to me, they run it themselves�. It is available for every farmer in the constituency to use...I paid the initial deposit of 130million from my MP�s Common Fund and not with my own personal resources,� she added. She lashed out at critics who based on perception believes her acquisition of the tractors was inappropriate pointing out that she does not even own a farm in her constituency or anywhere in the country. �None of my family people have a farm that uses the services of the tractors, so how can they say I benefited from it,� she said. Some members of the public have been critical about the way some MPs used their positions of influence to purchase tractors in the name of their constituencies meant for underprivileged farmers But the Youth and Sports Minister countered that if the poor farmers could not afford it then why should the facility even be available. She added that since the underprivileged farmers could not afford it, it was left for their representatives who are MP�s, Ministers of State, and people holding other higher positions to "of course, if not with their own personal resources but with public funds, help the poor farmers get access to their needs." �What is wrong with it?� she quizzed. The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) on Wednesday, March 3rd, released details of how 54 Members of Parliament (MPs) from across the political divide, ministers and some public officials benefited from the tractor facility at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA). According to the list obtained by CHRAJ from MoFA, and published by the Daily Graphic on Wednesday, the beneficiaries include the Youth and Sports Minister, Akua Sena Dansua, who obtained a Lidini tractor in March 2007; the former Minister of Women and Children's Affairs, Hajia Alima Mahama, who acquired two Farmtrac tractors in September 2006 and January 2009, respectively; the former MP for South Tongu, Mr Kenneth Dzirasah, who acquired a Farmtrac tractor in February 2006; the former Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Plarming and MP for Old Tafo, Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, who obtained a Farmtrac tractor in March 2006, and a former Minister of State at the Presidency, Mr Charles Bintim, who obtained a Farmtrac tractor in October 2006.