Agona West MP’s Common Fund Scandal – An Examination of the Allocation of Funds
A report obtained through a Right to Information (RTI) request, submitted by the Agona West Municipal Assembly to Lydia Baah-Quansah, has unveiled concerning misuse of the MP’s Common Fund. Two significant disclosures necessitate immediate clarification from MP Ernestina Ofori Dangbey.
1. GH¢345,635.66 Allocated to “Unknown Beneficiaries”
The RTI report indicates that the MP purportedly allocated GH¢345,635.66 from her Common Fund for “financial assistance and building materials,” yet the report fails to identify any beneficiaries.
Over one-third of a million cedis, sourced from the taxes of market vendors, educators, and drivers in Agona West, was distributed without any names, community affiliations, or receipts.
This action contravenes the Public Financial Management Act and the RTI Act of 2019. If the MP is unable to identify a single beneficiary, it raises the question: Did these beneficiaries truly exist?
“Unknown beneficiaries” is a long-standing method for the misappropriation of public funds. The residents of Agona West deserve a comprehensive list. Every cedi must be accounted for.
2. GH¢514,560.00 – 41% of the Entire Fund Allocated to a Single Project
The same RTI report reveals that the MP allocated GH¢514,560.00—an astonishing 41% of her entire Common Fund—to a single project.
The Common Fund is intended to promote development across the constituency, including funding for school buildings in Nkum, boreholes in Bobikuma, CHPS compounds in Otsenkorang, and support for verified vulnerable individuals. When a single project consumes 41% of the fund, it results in numerous other communities receiving no support.
Which contractor was awarded this GH¢514,560.00 contract? Was it awarded through sole-sourcing? Was the cost inflated? The RTI report grants Agona West residents the right to this information, and the MP has a legal obligation to disclose it.
Concerns of Opacity and Lack of Prudence
GH¢345,635.66 for “unknowns” + GH¢514,560.00 for one project = GH¢860,195.66.
This accounts for over 68% of the MP’s annual Common Fund.
Meanwhile, nearly every road in Agona West has deteriorated further, drug abuse is on the rise, and the youth of Agona West continue to demand 24-hour economic opportunities.
No More Excuses. We Demand Accountability
1. Publish the complete list of beneficiaries for the GH¢345,635.66, including names, communities, amounts, and dates, as this is public money, not personal funds.
The era of “confidentiality is the rule but disclosure is the exception” ended with the RTI Act. Agona West did not elect a ghost MP to manage a ghost fund.
If Hon. Ernestina Ofori Dangbey cannot provide a proper account of her Common Fund, then she has no right to manage public finances. The RTI report is not an attack—it is a reflection. Presently, it reveals a constituency being shortchanged.
Agona West citizens, please share this information. Tag the MP. The Common Fund is our money, not a personal ATM.
