The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has urged the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to investigate beneficiaries of the government’s Nkoko Nkitinkiti Programme who allegedly consumed the birds instead of using them for the intended poultry production initiative.
According to the Effutu MP, the birds were provided through a state-funded intervention aimed at supporting livelihoods, encouraging poultry farming and helping beneficiaries generate income. He argued that those who failed to rear the birds and instead consumed them must be held accountable for the use of public resources.
Afenyo-Markin made the call on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, July 14, during discussions on the implementation and impact of the programme.
He questioned how the programme could achieve its objectives if beneficiaries ate the birds rather than raising them, selling them and reinvesting the proceeds to sustain 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 asked.
The Minority Leader said accountability should apply to all parties involved in the use of state resources, including beneficiaries who misuse items provided under government programmes.
“You are talking about accountability, so your party members who got the birds and have admitted that they consumed them, are you going to send them to EOCO? Because it is state funds, it also amounts to looting, however small the amount may be,” he said.
His comments follow remarks by the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, who disclosed that some beneficiaries of the Nkoko Nkitinkiti Programme had consumed the birds instead of rearing them as required.
The Nkoko Nkitinkiti Programme was introduced as a government poultry initiative aimed at improving household incomes, creating jobs and increasing local poultry production.
