Reports gathered by Radio Waa 92.1FM indicated that, some NPP party functionaries in the Wa West District of the Upper West Region have connived with Officials of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in Wa West district of the Upper West region to sell government subsidized fertilizer for their selfish interest.
Reacting to the development, the Assemblyman for Wechiua electoral area Hon. RY Issahaku, expressed his disgust over the issue, noting that, a serious probe should be conducted. He further revealed that, some members of the NPP have turned themselves into Agric extension Officers in the distribution of the fertilizer. ‘’ I don’t know where the NPP party guys got the plan of working with the Agric officers in the distribution of the fertilizer” he stated.
The Unit Committee Chairman for the Wechiua electoral area, Captain Yahaya, who questioned the drivers of the trucks that were transporting the fertilizer out of the district, narrated to Radio Waa 92.1FM news crew that ‘’on that fateful day, I was about to set out to Wa Market when I met a Kia truck loaded with fertilizer and I asked the driver where he was sending them to and he told me Wa, I asked further who sent him and he said the District Agric Officer, when I enquired to know the number of bags on board, he told me 150 bags and then left. On my way to the lorry station, I met another truck loaded with fertilizer and I asked him how many bags he was carrying, he told me 100 bags and that he was asked to send them to some group of farmers in Gurungu, a community in the district, I was surprise to hear in the evening that one of the trucks I met earlier with the fertilizer, was in Kulmasa in the Northern region selling the fertilizer, I traced there and I was told the truck has left, but was in the community selling the fertilizer GH₵ 50.00 per bag. I quickly informed the Assembly man and he also contacted the DCE and later on it turns to be that, it was the hand work of party members and it ended up there” the Chairman narrated.
Meanwhile, the District Director of MOFA, Mr. Joseph Kambunaaba, who was also accused of conspiring with the DCE, Hon. Edward Laabiri Sabo for transporting some of the fertilizer out of the district to Kulmasa in the Northern Region for sales, has debunked the claim noting that, the DCE only directed him to make the fertilizer accessible to the farmers around Gurungu and other villages that are far from the district capital.
Also, the District MOFA director could not account for the number of bags of fertilizer stolen after the warehouse was broke into. When he was contacted during Yelkaabahi program yesterday, he told the host, Abu Bepoli, that he doubts the competency level of the warehouse caretaker and that he has called for reinforcement.
However, the DCE is yet to respond to the issue.
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