Yendi Municipal Assembly Denies Ghost Borehole Report By The Fourth Estate

Story By: Deborah Adorsu

The Yendi Municipal Assembly has dismissed a report by investigative media organisation The Fourth Estate which alleged that three ghost borehole projects were recorded as completed under the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion Project SOCO in the municipality.

In the report titled SOCO Ghost Boreholes The Fourth Estate claimed that communities including Kpatua Guntingli and Kamshegu were listed as beneficiaries of mechanised boreholes funded by the World Bank under the SOCO Project in 2022 but had no projects on the ground with residents still competing with animals for water from hand dug wells and muddy dams.

Reacting to the publication Yendi Municipal Chief Executive Sugri Muniru said the report is inaccurate and misleading explaining that the three projects in question were intentionally halted to allow for budget adjustments and the completion of seven other boreholes.

According to the MCE the Assembly took a decision to reallocate resources to ensure the successful completion of the other boreholes within the project implementation document which listed 10 communities including Kpaku Dabganja Kpatua Kashengu Kpanjamba 1 and 2 Kuni Meindogu Gundogu and Guntingli.

He also criticised the investigative report as one sided accusing The Fourth Estate of failing to contact the Assembly or the SOCO Secretariat for clarification before publishing.

Mr Muniru maintained that no funds were diverted and that over one million cedis paid to the contractor M Gazaali Company Limited covered work done on the completed projects while the remaining three are yet to be executed.

The Assembly has assured residents of the affected communities that the projects will be completed once budgetary adjustments are finalised.