The youth of the Anlo State in the Volta Region are demanding accountability for the use of proceeds from the annual Hogbetsostso Za (festival) celebrations.
The Progressive Anlo Youth for Development and Accountability, which is championing this course, is requesting the planning committee to give details on the expenditure of funds generated from the festival celebrations between 2011 and 2020.
Addressing the press, the Convener, Albert Ahialengor, indicated that after soliciting financial support from the government, public and private institutions, embassies and high commissions, the ordinary Anlo citizen has no idea how much was accrued and spent. Neither do they have knowledge of what is left in the Anlo State’s coffers for future use.
He lamented that though the main objective of the festival is to raise funds to support development projects, the planning committee has failed to deliver on these objective within the last two decades.
“For the past twenty years, we have noted as youth of Anlo that there has not been any development in the land, so we wonder how proceeds generated from the Hogbeza which is the main source of generating revenue for the Anlo State are used or applied”, he said.
Mr. Ahialengor disclosed that if not for the benevolence of the Council of State Member, His Eminence Francis Albert Seth Nyonyo, who had provided some funding for the continuation of the Anlo Town Hall project, it would have stalled.
He said the youth are dismayed by the neglect of the laid down processes guiding the Hogbetsotso festival celebrations which stipulates that the Planning Committee must periodically render accounts on proceeds from the festival.
He also requested accountability for the “thousands of bags of cement and tons of iron rods” donated towards the construction of the Anlo Awomefia’s Palace.
Mr. Ahialengor, therefore, gave the Planning Committee a two weeks ultimatum to meet the citizens of Anlo and outline what funds that would be accrued from the 2022 Hogbetsotso festival celebrations would be used for.
“Infact, we want to know the amount that is being solicited in the name of the Anlo State this time around for the oncoming festival.
We want to know the account that these monies will be channeled into. Who are the signatories to these accounts? The youth want to know”, he stressed.
“If we do not hear or see any concrete steps being taken, of course the youth of Anlo whose interest is paramount in the future development of Anlo State will have to take decisive steps in the coming days”, My Ahialengor concluded.
