FORENSIC AUDITING OF MMDAS TO START SOON (PAGE 14)

Forensic auditing of the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the country is expected to start within the next two weeks.
Currently the formation of the auditing teams are being finalised by the Auditor-General after which the teams would be despatched to the MMDAs to start work.
The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh, disclosed this in an interview with the Daily Graphic, after addressing the Wa West District Assemly at Wechiau, the district capital, last Tuesday.
He said the debt profile of the MMDAs had been collated and submitted to the minister for the necessary action.
According to him, the payment of the End of Service Benefit (ESB) of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executive in the previous government would be subjected to the audit report.
If you leave your office honourably then you have nothing to fear. However, those who misconduct themselves would be sanctioned,” he added.
Mr Chireh said the ministry had already received a letter from the ex MMDCEs requesting for their ESB, and pointed out that “beyond that the ministry would actually ask the assemblies to reconcile their debt with the ministry.
Touching on the absence of chief executives for some districts in the country, he said, plans were far advanced for the problem to be resolved. Some of the districts are Savelugu-Nanton in the Northern Region, Gomoa East (Central) Birim Central (Eastern), Biakoye (Volta) Nkawie-Nwiabagya, Adansi South, among others.
In the case of Biakoye, Mr Chireh, said there was a court case pending because of the siting of the district capital.
He explained that the previous government did not involve the Electoral Commission in the siting of the capital, culminating in the court action.
“This time round we want the EC to go to the ground to help resolve the issue once and for all,” he told the Daily Graphic.
Mr Chireh said all newly-created district assemblies had been directed to list all their needs in order of priority for assistance.
He was happy about the performance of the MMDAs after only a few months in office, and expressed the hope that they would continue in the same vein.
Addressing the Wa West Asembly, Mr Chireh, who is also the member of Parliemnt for the area, expressed concern over the burial of corpses closer to houses and compounds.
He, therefore, urged the assembly to insist on every community having a proper cemetery.
He used the opportunity to thank the people of the area for re-electing him as the Member of Parliament.
The District Chief Executive, Mr Saidu Tungbani, condemned the activities of Fulani herdsmen in the area, particularly cattle rustling, and warned that those caught would be severely dealt with.
“The district security committee in collaboration with the security agencies will not relent in its effort to see to it that those who steal cattle face the full rigours of the law,” he stated.
He advised that before any Fulani herdsman settled in any community the opinion leaders must be in the known instead of harbouring them and facilitating their criminal activities.
For his part, the Presiding Member, Mr Edward Nikpee, called for collective efforts in the development of the district.