I am Working Diligently In Completing Almost All Abandoned Projects Started By My Predecessor–Dormaa West DCE Denies Media Allegations
Mr Francis shoot down the viral claim that he is a non-performing DCE, saying that his track record and achievement in provision of many social amenities in the areas of safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), health, education, roads, security, sports, social welfare services among others so far after two years of his assumption office showed that he has performed satisfactorily in his roles.
Freeman Koryekpor 
THE DISTRICT Chief Executive (DCE) for Dormaa West District Assembly in the Bono Region, Mr. Kojo Oppong Francis, has stated that he has not committed any administrative crime or error to warrant the current demand or request made by some self seeking residents in the area to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to relieve him from his current post.
Mr Francis shoot down the viral claim that he is a non-performing DCE, saying that his track record and achievement in provision of many social amenities in the areas of safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), health, education, roads, security, sports, social welfare services among others so far after two years of his assumption office showed that he has performed satisfactorily in his roles.
He noted that he has worked tremendously to provide support to the teeming farmers in the district, having realized that 80% of the people in the district are predominantly farmers.
"My outfit has provided numerous supports
to the farmers in my area of jurisdiction by way of giving them coconut and hybrid cocoa seedlings, fertilizers, farming equipment to supplement his outfit efforts to boast their farming activities in the district," Mr Francis disclosed.
According to the DCE, the projects his outfit has executed so far within the district were visible in their implementation communities in the ten electoral areas and dared his accusers to go there and see themselves.
The DCE further denied media report that was attributed to some residents in Dormaa West District that the current DCE has abandoned social intervention projects left out from his predecessor in his own government.
The abandoned projects are uncompleted Community-Based Health Planning Services (CHPS) at Awiakrom, abandoned six class units block at Kwadwo Kumikrom, abandoned ten seater toilets facilities at Diabaa, Krakrom and his own native town Yaakrom, abandoned heaped refuse dump and deplorable roads, a charge DCE denies.
The DCE, since assuming office under his ‘Let’s Make Dormaa West District work campaign, has undertaken several initiatives to provide lasting solutions to everyday challenges in the district, with the view to transform the district, adding that he is working diligently in completing almost all abandoned projects started by his predecessor.
He has supervised many poverty alleviation initiatives brought to the district by the NGOs, onwards distribution of farm equipment to various farmers, erection of water pipe lines to various communities in the provision of safe drinking water to the residents, connecting electricity power to some communities and carried out decongestion exercises and other sanitation drives aimed at ridding the district of fifths.
Although these initiatives have won him the admiration of some residents, the DCE believes the totality of these efforts should not be viewed as political vindictiveness.
“There is a vision the President has for the district so as a servant of the President, we have to ensure that he can realize his vision. Various stakeholders have thrown their support behind me. It shouldn’t be seen as political vindictiveness. We need to see how best we can create an enabling environment in Dormaa West District for all of us to live in this district.
The DCE gave assurances that the efforts to making Dormaa West work are sustainable and not “a nine-day wonder,” explaining in detail his long-term plans for sustainability.
He called on the residents in the area to disregard the claim made by those residents intervied on Nkoromma FM who are known supporters of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the area that he is non performing DCE and that he should be sacked by the President.
He insisted that the job of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) is not limited to the confines of their offices but on the ground, and that he has demonstrated to be on the field to work, adding that two years into his administration, he is performing well to the expectations to constituents.
The DCE noted that he knows those who are behind these residents who had spoke on the Nkoromma FM, a pro-NDC radio station being owned by the current NDC Member of Parliament (NDC) in the area to attack his integrity, ostensibly to defame him in public.
"I am stressing that It never true that l have been performing poorly in my duties, because President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo currently ordered his intelligent team to conduct a very thorough investigations to assess the performance of all the appointed MMDCEs MMDES across the country, and the President that some us should not be part of revocation of appointments."
He said when he assumed office per the rest of the social intervention projects, he has made several efforts to continue a lot of the works which his predecessor has started.
According to the current DCE, he came to meet numerous of abandoned projects, including abandoned CHIP Compound at Aprakukrom, saying that there was no water and electricity power in the health facility functioning when he took over administrative affairs of the Assembly.
He said the same community also lacks potable water, electricity power and other social amenities, saying l have devised measures to buy six poles and other materials to connect electricity power to the people in the community.
He added through his instrumentality, the
Aprakukrom, a farming community in the Dormaa West District Central has benefited from a mechanised borehole water facility which would supply portable water to the inhabitants.
The community did not have a source of potable water, a situation which forced the children to walk a distance of about 1.5 kilometres to fetch water from the nearest steam.
"l bought motor bikes for workers who were contracted by the Assembly to work on the project in this community within his jurisdiction. So this facility is now in operation," the DCE stated.
On the abandoned CHIP Compound project located at Awaikrom, the DCE stressed that it is true he refused to ensure the continuation of the project, saying that when he assumes office he has realized that the contractor has not committed any fund for the execution of the healthcare project.
The DCE explained that they delayed of the project was that "I realized that there is something fishy in the deal and l wrote to the contractor to come so that we sit down and take a second look at the pricing before l commit myself."
"So l together with technically men of the Assembly met the contactor but we didn't finish the conversation on the matter. So l have decided not to continue the construction of CHIP Compound at Awaikrom because there is something fishy and was the reason, so it is not true that l have abandoned the project as being claim by my accusers," the DCE sets the record straight.
The DCE noted that the contractor has started the Awaikrom CHIP Compound project and has reached a lintel level but no money has been paid to the contractor for his work done.
According to him, he met the contractor and the they have agreed to review the contractual agreement "we are yet to let my technical men to go through the contractual agreement and make recommended for the Assembly to continue the project with the contractor.
On the issues of road networks, the DCE indicated that he assumed office, the former MP in the area, through his efforts has assigned the contracts of the most roads construction projects to the district contractor.
He asserted that when the roads construction contracts were given to the contractor, he started the projects all rights but has not completed the projects.
According to the current DCE, when he took over administrative affairs of the Assembly, he lobbied and the contractor has added some of the road projects to his contacts.
He advised that the constituents should exercise patience since plans were under way to mobilize enough funds to address the problems of road networks in the district.
On the issue of abandoning of ten seater toilets facilities at Diabaa and Krakrom, the DCE stated that the construction is funded by Middle Bird Development Authority (MBDA) were being executed by Middle Belt Development Authority which was was set up to oversee the rapid development of the Middle Belt Zone namely: the Ashanti, Eastern, Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regions.
The DCE indicated that the Assembly did not have capacity to use its fund to continue the projects being carried by a different authority, saying that unless the Authority has given the Assembly go ahead to do so.
According to the DCE, when the projects were delaying, his outfit wrote a letter to the MBDA and advised the authority to expedite action to complete the projects for which the authority has agreed.
"It was only that the MBDA had not come to the site to continue the work on the project, see stressed, adding that last week, his outfit has sent another letter to the MBDA which served as reminder.
