...Go to CHRAJ, BNI with Evidence

THE MEMBER OF Parliament for Asokwa and former mayor of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Maxwell Kofi Jumah, has come out defensively to deny allegation of misappropriation of the Assembly?s funds running into millions of cedis.

Subsequently, he has directed anyone with empirical evidence of the claims to forward them to the constitutional mandated institutions such as Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) or the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to conduct independent investigation into the matter.

In an exclusive interview with Gye Nyame Concord last week in Accra, Jumah, otherwise known as ?Kofi Ghana?, in rather aggressive tone maintained that time will tell the quality of work he performed at the KMA.

Refusing to delve into details of the circumstance surrounding the allegations, he asserted that ?let them say all sort of things about me. If l have been taking ?10 million unduly or taking car at the end of my office?

The former KMA boss was reported to have been acting contrary to Assembly procedures and is alleged to have devised his own formula for the disbursement of the KMA funds contrary to laid down regulations.

One of the means by which Kofi Jumah is alleged to have dissipated the funds of the Assembly, according to the Presiding Member of KMA, Nana Senya, was by receiving : ?10 million as per diem from the Assembly anytime he travelled out of Kumasi.

In addition, the Kumasi demonstrators were asked to attack Kofi Ghana for causing a mess in the metropolis instead of the Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon. Sampson Kwaku Boafo, for deprivation of developmental projects in region.

In his reaction, Jumah described the allegations as childish, asking his opponents to rather channel their resource and energy into factors that would propel the country?s economy forward.

He expressed grave concern about the way public officials are constantly subjected to criticisms and unsubstantiated allegations, adding that these are factors that prevent certain highly qualified personalities in the country from accepting political appointments.

?I hate to be the President of this country. After I have seen what President Kufuor and his family are going through in the hands of some people who are bent on destroying us, a decent man like our President, who has been invited three times by the G8 should not have gone through this?, he stressed.

The former KMA boss questioned ?how can a woman who was reported to have reached her menopause have twins with the President?

The MP noted that the country has reached a stage where everybody, irrespective of what capacity given, must contribute their quota to national development.

?Out of 1000 jobs I targeted, I have been able to create 500 of them within my five months in Parliament?, Kofi Ghana noted.