I will petition EOCO to probe materials donated to Apiatse – MP

The Member of Parliament for Prestea Huni-Valley, Robert Wisdom Cudjoe, says he will petition the appropriate investigative authorities to probe the handling of thousands of bags of cement, iron rods and other building materials donated by individuals and organisations following the Appiatse disaster.

Mr Cudjoe said the proposed investigation is intended to establish the quantity of construction materials received as donations, how they were accounted for and whether they were ultimately used for the intended redevelopment of the disaster-hit community.

The MP specifically mentioned the EOCO as the investigative body he will be petitioning in an exclusive interview with The Chronicle at Bogoso after the Minister for lands and Natural resources had cut sod for the third phase of the Appiatse redevelopment.

According to him, concerns had emerged over the fate of the cement and iron rods donated to support the reconstruction effort, particularly materials which, he said, were allegedly not used directly for the project. “What I need is cement, not food items. People donated thousands of bags of cement. Iron rods. Now, that’s not what they need for the project,” Mr Cudjoe said.

He said information available to him suggested that some of the donated materials were sold to contractors, raising questions about the circumstances under which such transactions allegedly took place and how the proceeds were accounted for. “Where did it go? That is what we are going to research on,” he said.

MP seeks accountability

Mr Cudjoe said his concerns extended to the committee responsible for aspects of the Appiatse response and its leadership, adding that the proposed petition would seek an investigation into the committee and its chairman. He, however, stressed that his objective was to establish the facts surrounding the donated materials.

Asked why he had not previously reported the alleged sale of the materials to the police, the MP said he had raised the matter in Parliament at the time. He explained that a parliamentary question had been raised seeking an account of the items received, but he was dissatisfied with the response provided by the responsible Minister.

“I asked a question in Parliament at that time, but the Minister could not give me the required answer on the floor of Parliament,” he said. Mr Cudjoe said that although he was not personally present in Parliament on the particular day, a representative had raised the matter on his behalf and requested an account of all materials received.

He said the lack of what he considered a satisfactory explanation had prompted him to pursue the matter further. The MP said he was now preparing to formally write to the investigative authorities to examine the issue. “We are going to write EOCO to study about this,” he said.

The proposed petition, according to Mr Cudjoe, will focus particularly on the donated construction materials and seek clarification on their receipt, storage, distribution, use and any reported sale to contractors.

The Appiatse disaster occurred on January 20, 2022, following an explosion that caused deaths, injuries and extensive destruction of property in the community.

Government subsequently embarked on a redevelopment programme aimed at rebuilding the affected community and resettling households whose homes were destroyed.

The latest demand by the Prestea Huni-Valley MP therefore puts renewed focus on the management of resources mobilised from the public in response to the disaster, as the government begins the final phase of the redevelopment project.

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