A New Patriotic Party (NPP) youth organizer for the Lower Akim Constituency, Ransford Adu Darko, aka Oluma, has pulled the biggest scam yet on the school feeding programme.
Oluman allegedly defrauded a caterer of the programme to the tune of over GH¢80,000 in Asamankese, the capital of the West Akim Municipal District.
Information gathered by Frontpageghana.com indicates Ransford Adu Darko fictitiously switched the caterer’s name with that of his girlfriend on the payment system and has since been withdrawing the cash from the bank.
The victim of the racket, a professional caterer named Akua Kyerewaa, told Frongpageghana.com that after the 2016 elections they were asked to reapply for the programme, which she did.
According to her, she was however not selected for a new contract and therefore fell back on her bulk supply contract with the buffer stock.
Kyerewaa indicated that the NPP Constituency Youth Organizer and several others approached her that they have been given contracts by the School Feeding Programme.
However, because they do not have the means to start they would want her to execute the contract on their behalf so they can share the profits.
“I agreed and mobilized other caterers to prepare the meals. I constructed a kitchen at the Methodist School at the tune of GH¢9,000.00 out of my own resource and we began work.
“However, when the first payment came, only Adu Darko’s contract had a shortage with only GHٕ¢2,050.00 being paid.”
According to the caterer, she complained to the Constituency Youth Organizer who promised to rectify the situation at the secretariat but to no avail.
She indicated that subsequently, she stopped receiving payment from the Ransford Adu Darko contract, leading to pressures from suppliers for payment.
Kyerewaa disclosed that this went on until she conducted her own investigation at the School Feeding Secretariat where she discovered her name had been switched and replaced with another person.
According to her, she took the details of the person and combed through the Asamankese township, which led to a lady who claimed it was the NPP constituency youth organizer who put her name on the system.
Ransford eventually owned up to the scam when he realized there was overwhelming evidence against him and that his girlfriend had spilt the beans.
He promised to pay back but has since reneged on his promise after offering a paltry sum of GH¢15,000 to settle the matter after Kyerewaa was arraigned before the court by her suppliers.
According to her, he also offered documents to a chamber and hall building as a pledge to settle her.
Kyerewaa indicated she did not go the police because NPP stalwarts for the constituency stepped into the matter including the elected Parliamentary candidate.
She, however, warned her patience is running thin and would be compelled to go to the police because her creditors are on her neck for payment of their supplies.
Stay tuned
