Tamale (Northern Region) 26 March '99

A three member committee under the chairmanship of Dr Karbo Naaninong of the Animal Research Institute, was inaugurated at Tamale ine Wednesday to investigate allegations of impropriety against a former district chief executives in the Northern Region. They are Alhaji A.Y.M.B.Ibrahimah of the Tamale Municipal Assembly, Mr Issaka Bawa, of East Mamprusi District and Alhaji Karimu Seidu of East Gonja district. Chief F.Y.Wari, chief Local Government Inspector and Mr J.N.K. Appiah, principal auditor at the Audit Service, are other members of the committee. The committee is to probe among other things the 120 million- cedi Poverty Alleviation fund allegedly missing from the Tamale municipal assembly common fund account with a commercial bank. . It is also to investigate the illegal and unauthorised award of contracts by the former chief executives. Mr Joshua Alabi, Northern Regional Minister, who inaugurated the committee, charged it to find out the circumstances surrounding the award of all contracts between January one to February 28, this year and whether the awards were in accordance with laid down procedures. It will also assess the impact of such awards on the finances of the respective district assemblies and any other matters reasonably related to their terms of reference. The committee is to submit its report within five weeks to the regional minister giving reasons for its findings and making such recommendations as it considered fit. Mr Alabi said the committee would sit in camera at the conference room of the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC). Persons with relevant information are invited to testify or send memorandum to the committee stating their full names and addresses. The committee will also move to the other districts under investigations. Dr Haaninoug thanked the RCC for the confidence reposed in them and promised that they "will do every thing possible to come out with the facts to allay all fears among the general public".