The Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Hajia Abibata Zakariah, has dispelled the notion that the disbursement of funds at the time in 2020 did not follow due processes and maintained that only eligible applicants received the money.
“My crime was that I disbursed funds to people of Yendi, which is part of Ghana and it was unfortunate because, for me, I thought the Centre for Democratic Development in Ghana (CDD-Ghana) was not consistent.
“I did not feel aggrieved but I thought they did not do a good job because if you say undercover, this was something I did in the glare of the public,” Hajia Zakariah stressed.
Investigations by CDD-Ghana’s Corruption Watch in 2020 alleged that the then MASLOC Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Hajia Zakariah, breached the provisions of the 1992 Constitution when she distributed public funds to members, supporters and sympathisers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Yendi, in the Northern Region, precisely her Constituency.
The Centre has been championing drive to expose level of political funding and financing during elections and in recent study, found presidential candidates will need at least $100 million to win an election whereas parliamentary candidates will have to cough up GHC4 million to win constituency seats.
But Hajia Zakariah described as inconsistent and unfortunate allegation that she used state funds to campaign during the 2020 NPP parliamentary primaries and dispelled such allegation on grounds that it lacked merit.
“Yendi is not the only constituency with the largest number of beneficiaries as investigation alleged, it was not the only place I disbursed funds; there were circulated photos of myself with my former Chief Executive Officer when we went to Ashanti Region and Kumasi Central Market to do the same.
“What I expected from CDD was kind of encouragement and not discouragement. However, experts raised concern over election financing and propensity to affect campaigning is concerned so I reason with persons who think the country must take critical look at the issue.
“I do not think it is appropriate and I say it for all parties because when we are going for elections, it must come with money which should not be a determining factor to choose someone, and if we do not look at that aspect, even in Parliament, instead of having quality, we will have quantity,” Hajia Zakariah hinted. –myjoyonline.com
