BNI investigates GH¢500,000 stool lands revenue fraud

Source: Daily Graphic Ghana  -  The Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) in the Western Region is investigating a case in which the District Coordinating Director (DCD) and the District Finance Officer (DFO) for Sefwi Akontombra are alleged to have been involved in fraudulent activities in respect of Stool Land Revenue which run into several thousands of Ghana cedis.

The two, whose names are being withheld, are alleged to have opened a secret bank account with a financial institution in which they lodged cheques they secretly collected from the Stool Lands Administration without the knowledge of the District Chief Executive.

Already, the DFO and a retired DCD are facing a similar case involving about GH¢500,000 and the case docket is with the Attorney-General's office for advice after appearing before court.

Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, the Western Regional Minister, who disclosed this at a Retreat of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) at Beyin in the Jomoro District, therefore appealed to the A-G's office to expedite action on the docket study while urging the security agency to quicken up on the current case.

Mr. Aidoo who was visibly dissatisfied with the fraudulent deals indicated that, the DFO has since sought release from the region to elsewhere, saying that, it was not the politician who was always corrupt but some civil and public officers could equally be caught in all manner of financial malfeasance which needed to be thoroughly investigated and sent to court.

He also took a swipe at the media for their seeming silence over the case, stressing that, when the MCE for Sekondi-Takoradi, Capt Anthony Cudjoe (Retd) was said to have taken GH¢30,000 of government money for a trip abroad, the media did not spare him, simply because he was a politician.

He noted with regrets that, "A whooping GH¢500,000, the press and the chiefs are not talking about it but with GH¢30,000 the whole world heard of it. We should all show concern about it."

The Regional Minister also called on the traditional authorities to be up and doing in such matters, especially when it concerned stool lands money, which was meant for the development of their respective communities.

The three-day retreat on the theme, "Enhancing Local Development: The Role of the RCC and the MMDAs”, discussed techniques aimed at enhancing integration and participation in promoting local development.