Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has called on the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to investigate beneficiaries of the government’s Nkoko Nkitinkiti Programme who allegedly consumed birds distributed under the initiative instead of rearing them for commercial purposes.
The Effutu Member of Parliament argued that the birds were supplied through a state-funded programme intended to improve livelihoods and boost local poultry production, and that beneficiaries who failed to use them for their intended purpose should be held accountable for the alleged misuse of public resources.
Mr Afenyo-Markin made the call on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, July 14, during deliberations on the implementation of the poultry intervention programme.
According to him, beneficiaries were expected to rear the birds, sell them and reinvest the proceeds to ensure the sustainability of the initiative.
“They have eaten it. They were supposed to rear the birds and sell and reinvest. Now that they have consumed the birds, what will become of them? What is the accountability in it?” he questioned.
The Minority Leader maintained that if the government is serious about enforcing accountability in the use of public funds, beneficiaries who admitted consuming the birds should also be investigated.
“You guys are talking about accountability, so your party members who got the birds that they said they have consumed and have given evidence to the Minister, are you going to send them to EOCO? Because it is state funds, it also amounts to looting, however the amount,” he said.
The Nkoko Nkitinkiti Programme was introduced by the government as a poultry intervention aimed at supporting households, increasing domestic poultry production and reducing the country’s dependence on imported poultry products.
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