The Savannah Regional Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Mr. Zakariah Mahama, has denied allegations that he is using relief items meant for conflict-affected communities to advance his political ambition to become the NDC Constituency Chairman for Sawla-Tuna-Kalba.
Mr. Mahama, who is contesting the incumbent Constituency Chairman, Alhaji Osman Salia, said he had not distributed any NADMO relief items for political gain, insisting that the items he provided to students were purchased with his own resources.
He explained that NADMO does not distribute chop boxes, school bags, exercise books, mathematical sets, pens and pencils as relief items, questioning why anyone would accuse him of using such materials for political purposes.
“If I were sharing rice and oil to the students, then I could have been accused,” he stated.
According to him, he distributed some plastic buckets and and a few mattresses, but maintained that the shops in Sawla where the items were purchased were known.
He further disclosed that some parents in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District had approached him to assist their wards who were entering various Senior High Schools, even before he declared his ambition to contest the NDC Constituency Chairman position.
Zakariah Mahama added that the chop boxes he distributed were manufactured in SawlSawla, while all the exercise books were purchased locally.
He said he also gave some money to the students and argued that his gesture should attract commendation rather than condemnation.
The NADMO Director’s response follows concerns raised by a member of the NDC in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba Constituency, Tomah Salifu, over the alleged use of relief items intended for conflict victims for popolitical purposes.
Mr. Salifu, who is said to be a campaigner for the incumbent NDC Constituency Chairman, Alhaji Osman Salia, accused Mr. Mahama of allegedly using relief items provided to support people affected by conconflict to advance his political ambitions ahead of the constituency elections.
In a social media post he wrote; “Why NADMO Director Uses Conflict-Related Items for Political Gain: A Call for Investigation”.
Tomah Salifu called for a proper and impartial investigation into the allegations.
He questioned whether resources meant for vulnerable conflict-affected communities were being used to gain political advantage in the ongoing contest for the NDC Constituency Chairmanship.
The allegations have generated discussions among some party members, with calls for transparency and accountability in the handling and distribution of relief items.
Responding to the allegations, the Savannah Regional Director of NADMO Mr Zakariah Mahama said Tomah Salifu, whom he identified as a campaigner for his political opponent, had apologised to him.
However, he explained that he had decided to respond publicly because the allegations had already circulated widely.
Mr. Mahama also made counter-allegations against Mr. Salifu, claiming that he was engaged in two government jobs simultaneously, which which he described as criminal.
According to the NADMO Director, Tomah Salifu is a trained teacher working at Soma in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District but has allegedly taken up another government job at the Axle Weighing Station at Yapei in the Central Gonja District of the Savannah Region.
Zakariah Mahama said he was prepared to conduct his campaign peacefully and without personal attacks, but warned that he would respond if his opponents continued what he described as dirty politics.
“If my competitor wants the elections to be done in peace without name-calling and track records, then he is welcome. But if they want the election to be done with dirty politics, then they are welcome,” he said.
He added that he would continue to restrain himself but was prepared to come out fully to expose the incumbent Chairman, Alhaji Osman Salia, should the false allegations against him persist.
The Savannah Regional NADMO Director further threatened to demand accountability from the incumbent Chairman over some NADMO relief items, including rice, oil and tomato paste, which he alleged were given tto him.
Zakariah Mahama concluded by describing himself as a hardworking public servant, citing an award he said he received as the Best NADMO Regional Director in Ghana as recognition of his performance.
Source: nkilgifm.com
