<<Print>>

A FORMER Member of Parliament (MP) for Krachi, Sampson Kwadwo Apraku has petitioned the Judgment Debt Commission, chaired by Justice Yaw Apau to investigate the manner in which compensation to the tune of GHc1, 161, 564.79 to Dentewiae Clan was utilized. According to him, after the money was received on behalf of the community by one Kwame Anane, there was no evidence of what the money was used for apart from a palace costing about two billion old cedis. �My plea here is about whether the commission can compel those (leaders) to produce accounts for the community to know how the money had been spent. I know of a palace costing 2-billion old cedis, but apart from that no schools, no toilets and it has become a tug of war between me and other leaders on how the money was used.� The former legislator told the commission also that, �There were allegations that the monies were misapplied and unless auditors account was produced, we would never know where the monies had gone.� Mr. Apraku who served his people between 1997 and the year 2,000 as an MP, though he was not told the exact figure the community received, told the commission that rumours indicated that it was around 8 billion old cedis. He was, however, surprised when he was told that one Kwame Annane had been paid GHc1, 161, 564.79. The Sole Commissioner urged him to hold the clan members accountable instead, especially the Krachiwura, Nana Diawuo Bediako and one Sesu who were signatories to the Dentewiae development fund. Justice Apau said, �This amount was arrived at after deducting 15 % to Volta Reimbursable Fund, and the signatories to that were the Krachiwura, Nana Diawuo Bediako and one Sesu who were the signatories to the Dentewiae development account.� Briefing the commission further, Mr. Apraku lamented that, �I wrote to them asking for accounts and they have refused to do that, because apart from that major expenditure for the palace, I don�t know what other thing has come out from that money.� The petitioner told the commission that despite deductions of 15% and 10% to one Kojo Abban, the surveyor in the matter, the amount deducted was so huge. �We think that it should be reduced since 15% was given to the Krachiwura for the building of the palace-Busumfio was also given 15%.� He was provided with 11 names that according to the commission formed the committee which decided on the money.