The Coalition of Youth Associations in Northern Ghana is demanding the immediate removal of the Chief Executive Officer of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA), Alhaji Gilbert Iddi.
The coalition is made of members of various youth groups from the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions including the Concerned Citizens’ Association of Tamale, The Northern Patriots for Research and Advocacy (NOPRA), The Upper East Youth Group, and The Development Research and Advocacy Centre (DRAC).
At a press conference held in Bolgatanga on Tuesday, the coalition admitted that SADA is a laudable project that can alleviate the poverty in Northern Ghana.
However, they accused the SADA boss of profligate spending and wanton dissipation of the Authority’s funds.
“….the CEO spent a hooping GHC 170.000 between January and March 2013 on internet connectivity, when indeed, SADA staff as at March 2013 had no computes to work with.
“….SADA has contracted a company called Haizer Engineering to drill hundred bore holes in the SADA zone at a cost of GHC 3,000.000 with each bore hole costing GHC 30,000 not only is the per-union cost so outrageous, judging that by the growing market price, a mechanical bore hole cost at maximum GHC 15,000 but more importantly, there are no traces of where these bore holes are located” -said Basharu Alhassan Daballi, spokesperson for the Coalition of Youth Associations in Northern Ghana.
The group also accused Alhaji Gilbert Iddi of blatant disregard for basic rules in doing business and waste of public resources.
The Coalition of Youth Associations in Northern Ghana therefore demanded the following from President John Mahama.
“….Alhaji Gilbert Iddi be immediately removed as the CEO of SADA without further delay and an independent investigation team set-up to investigate the alleged act of corruption and mismanagement.
“…all the senior staff of SADA be made to declare their assets.
“…an independent forensic auditing be conducted on all SADA activities.
“…the board be dissolved for failing to exercise oversight responsibility over management.”-they demanded.
They say they are giving the President a deadline of two weeks to respond to their demands, failure of which they will proceed on a series of massive demonstrations until their calls are heeded to.
By: Albert Sore | A1radioonline.com | Ghana
