Investigation into malfeasance: Allow due process to take its course — Dormaahene
The President of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, has appealed to members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to allow due process to take its course in cases being investigated by state agencies.
He urged the government to be bold in investigating and prosecuting all past government officials who had either mismanaged or embezzled state funds.
Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu, who is also the Dormaahene, was speaking in Sunyani in the Bono Region last Friday during President Mahama's one-day "Thank you" visit to the region.
He said he was not against members of the party sympathising with some of their members being investigated, but said that should not interfere with due process.
The Dormaahene said while he held personal admiration for Chairman Wontumi, his support did not extend to bypassing legal processes.
He said he was unhappy about the conduct and attitude of some NPP members, particularly the Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who stormed the premises of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to protest the arrest and detention of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of NPP, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as
"Chairman Wontumi", for alleged fraud, causing financial loss to the state and money laundering.
Don’t be afraid
He urged President Mahama not to be afraid to pursue the wrongful act committed by the past administration.
"If you are afraid and fail to do what is required of you, Your Excellency, your people will not be happy about you," he said.
Road
On road infrastructure, he expressed concern about the deplorable road network across the region.
He mentioned the Sunyani Town roads, the Berekum-Sampa road, the Sunyani-Techiman-Wenchi road, Wenchi-Nsawkaw road and the Nsawkaw-Sampa-Badu road as some of the bad roads in the region.
Osagyefo Agyemang Badu said the poor state of the roads was claiming several lives of his people.
President responds
Responding to Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu's concerns, President Mahama said infrastructure was a backbone for every society, "yet across the region, we see roads left incomplete, communities isolated and development delayed."
He said some critical road projects such as the Sunyani inner and outer ring roads, the Alaska-Catholic University ring road, the Berekum-Sampa road, the Sunyani-Techiman road, the Sunyani-Kumasi road and other bad roads in the region, had been captured for massive redevelopment.
President Mahama said the roads had been prioritised under the "Big Push" infrastructure project.
He said the Ministry of Roads and Highways had undertaken a technical assessment and work would soon commence.
“We will not only complete these roads, but ensure that they are completed with quality, durability and timely manner.
