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Deputy Minister for Local Government, O.B Amoah says his office has not authorized any Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) heads to pay an amount ahead of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo’s visit to the three Northern regions.

According to him, an amount of GH¢ 5,000 has not being imposed on the Northern Regional Coordinating Council on the 26 MMDAs in the region.

“As far as we are concerned, this is not sanctioned and nobody is authorized to pay anything towards the president’s visit. The Presidential office will have their own arrangement when it comes to such trips. And I expect that the RCC should be able to know that this is not the situation where you should ask any district to make any contribution towards the president’s visit,” he said.

News circulating indicates that the 26 MMDAs are being forced to pay an amount of money ahead of the president’s visit – but, the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives’ (MMDCEs) caucus of the Northern Region, say they took the decision by themselves in order to place a ceiling on the amount to contribute, to avoid instances where MMDAs are forced to overspend for such trips.

The Northern Regional Minister, Alhassan Issahaku in a leaked memo urged the MMDAs to treat the matter with “urgency” ahead of the President’s visit.

According to the leaked letter, the amount must be paid by close of day on Monday to ensure a successful organization of the President’s tour of the Northern Region.

But Mr. O. B. Amoah, in an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show said the Ministry has not approved such levy.

“It is unknown and not sanctioned… I don’t think it is the right thing to do. If for any situation the president visits a district and the district has to cater for some aspect of the visit, that should be well documented and authorized,” he added.


President Embarks On 7-Day Tour Of Three Northern Region

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, will from Monday, 2nd October, 2017, to Sunday, 8th October, 2017, embark on a 7-day tour of the three Northern Regions, as part of his tour of the country.

President Akufo-Addo will begin his tour with a 2-day visit to the Upper West Region, where, he will on Monday, inspect and commission the Wa Water Supply Project. He will later, in the day, meet with the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs, in Wa.

The President will round off his tour of the Upper West Region with visits to Lawra, Nandom, Sissala and Tumu, where he will interact with the Chiefs and people of these towns.

Wednesday, 4th October, will see President Akufo-Addo commencing a 2-day tour of the Upper East Region with a durbar of Chiefs in Bolgatanga, and a visit to the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital. He will also visit the Vea dam, Tamne dam, and inspect ongoing works on the Bolgatanga-Bawku Road.

On Friday, 6th October, President Akufo-Addo will begin his 3-day tour of the Northern Region with a courtesy call on the overlord of Mamprugu land, the Nayiri, Naa Bohigu Abdulai Mahami Sheriga. At Damongo, on the same day, the President is expected to call on the overlord of Gonjaland, the Yagbonwura, Tuntumba Boresa I.

At Yendi, on Saturday, 7th October, the President will call on the Regent of Dagbon, the Kampakuya Na, Yakubu Abdulai Andani II; and the Bolin Lana, Mahamadu Abdulai. The President will also be in the Saboba constituency to interact with residents.

President Akufo-Addo will round off his tour of the Northern Region on Sunday, 8th October, with a visit to Salaga, where he will pay a courtesy call on the Kpembewura, Babanye Ndefosu II. It will be recalled that in the run-up to the December 2016 election, on 1st September, 2016, the Kpembewura predicted a 53% margin of victory for then presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Akufo-Addo, when the latter paid a courtesy call on him as part of his campaign tour of the Northern Region.

The President ends his tour of Northern Region with a visit to the Avnash Rice Mills in Nyankpala, in the Tolon constituency, before returning to Accra.