Executives of the governing New Patriotic Party in the Kpando Constituency in the Volta Region have accused the Kpando Municipal Chief Executive, Elvis Djampoh of being in bed with members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
They alleged that Mr Djampoh resolved to awarding contracts to financiers of the NDC while neglecting proposals from NPP members, who are eligible of delivering same contracts.
According to the constituency executives, Mr Djampoh who “have grown wings” after narrowly being endorsed in a second bid to be confirmed as the MCE has neglected the party’s structures and “running a family and friends” administration, refusing to consult stakeholders of the party in implementing government policies and awarding of contracts for developmental projects.
At a news conference in Kpando Torkor, the Constituency Secretary, Eric Dapaah, asserted that Mr Djampoh’s actions indicates he has no interest in contributing to develop and carefully position the NPP to increase its electoral fortunes in the Kpando Constituency.
“Mr Elvis Djampoh is unconcerned with the development and progress of the party in the municipality”, he said.
He detailed that Mr Djampoh refused to consult and involve party executives in the selection of members for the local premix fuel landing beach committee, selection of a municipal coordinator for the Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) and a host of other developmental projects he awarded.
Mr Dapaah added that among the projects are a school pavilion at Sovie Vocational Technical School and a 20 lockable stores at Kpando Torkor which were all awarded to Blessing Construction Company, a firm he claimed belongs to a financier of the opposition NDC.
He stated that “the party was dumbfounded upon realising that, Mr Elvis Djampoh prevented party financiers and for that matter contractors from buying a lockable stores lot, only to give it to a NDC financier contractor - Blessing Construction Company.”
“Several attempts by party executives to appeal to him not to award this said contract to the NDC financier failed”, he added.
Mr Dappah also uttered that their findings had revealed that the MCE awarded a 3 unit classroom block with ancillary facilities at Kpando Agbenorxoe to a construction company owned by his daughter’s boyfriend.
He asserted that the MCE’s actions is making management of the NPP in the Kpando Constituency very difficult as the phenomenon continues to derail the progress of party.
“By unanimous decision and resolution of the party members without any equivocation, we wish to appeal to the President of the Republic of Ghana to as a matter of urgency remove Mr Elvis Djampoh from office as Kpando Chief Executive”, he concluded.
The Constituency Organiser, George Beli, noted that the MCE who forms part of the constituency executives failed several times to honour invitations for meetings with the explanation that “he is afraid of crowd”.
He stated that it is shocking the MCE had resolved to awarding contracts to financiers of the NDC without advertisement and competitive bidding, ignoring proposals from contractors in the NPP.
He said the development is not only starving the party of finances, which is consequently impeding running of the party, but also causing great disaffection for the NPP in Kpando. Mr Beli fears this could lead to the party losing members and bleeding votes in 2020, if the NPP top hierarchy looks on unconcerned.
“He [MCE] wants us to go and hustle, look for money elsewhere to steer the affairs of the party, which cannot happen.”
Mr Beli further said “there is nothing going on, the relationship between the NPP in Kpando Municipality and government is poor, it is extremely bad” adding “our party faithful, grassroots, polling station executives and electoral area coordinators are knocking our doors daily, begging for agro chemicals to farm, scholarships for their wards, begging for school fess for their wards and for chop money because they have put their lives on the line to bring this party to power, but they are not seeing anything.”
“If the Chief of Staff, the Local Government Minister and the Regional Minister does not come to our rescue, Kpando NPP will collapse forever”, he added.
The Constituency Executives, polling station executives, area coordinators supported by aggrieved faithful of the NPP earlier prevented a sod cutting ceremony for the 20 lockable stores project at Kpando Torkor, claimed to to have been awarded to a NDC financier, from taking place.
Eric Dapaah, Kpando NPP Constituency Secretary