NPP’s Mfantsiman Vice-Chairman arrested for selling subsidised outboard motors

The police has arrested the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) Constituency Vice-Chairman of Mfantsiman in the Central Region for selling subsidised outboard motors

David Awotwe was this week exposed by freelance investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni, for using his late uncle’s fishing gears to acquire government’s subsidised outboard motor and selling it above the subsidised price.

The Mfantsiman Municipal Chief Executive who confirmed the arrest said the case has been transferred from the Saltpond police, where he lodged the complaint after the investigative journalist’s revelation, to the Divisional Police Headquarters in Mankessim.

The 40-horsepower Yamaha outboard motors cost close to ¢20,000 in the market but the government gave it to the fisherman at ¢10,000.

However, there have been widespread concerns in the Central Region that some party executives and members of the governing NPP have wrongfully acquired the outboard motors using their political connections and are selling them beyond the subsidised prices.

The 40-horsepower Yamaha outboard motor costs close to ¢20,000 on the market but government gave the outboard motors to the fishermen at a subsidised price of ¢10,000.

However, there are widespread reports that executives of the governing NPP have hijacked the outboard motors and now sell them above the subsidised price.

In August, canoe fishermen in Elmina held a press conference and called on the government to investigate the illegal activities of party people because the practice defeated the subsidy initiative.

Mr Azure Awuni and his team went undercover in to expose the practice.

Source: Myjoy