Loading
6th February, 2010
BUNGALOWS FOR CRONIES AND RENT (1)
Early this week, it came out that only 78 out of the 186 occupants of government bungalows in Sunyani pay rent to the state. The Regional Minister, surprised by the revelation, promised to investigate.
Two days later, the reasons for non-payment of rent came out; at least, two of the reasons.
One was lack of any update of the data on occupants of the bungalows; two was the hijacking of the bungalows by public officials for their cronies without approval from the allocation committee.
The Regional Engineer of the Public Works Department (PWD) disclosed that “over the years, the procedure for bungalow allocation to public and civil servants has been breached”
Hear him: “Instead of the occupants …handing over the keys to the PWD whenever they vacate them, they rather hand over to their cronies who quickly occupy them without official notification. Over the years, this has been going on for so long that the PWD is not able to keep inventory of properties and the identity of occupants.”
Civil and public servants whom we spoke to on the issue were surprised that the Times considered this as news. “This is typical”, they chorused, prepared to “bet (their) bottom dollar” that in many cases, the situation may be worse than the litany of woes coming from Sunyani.
For many people we spoke with, the issue of official bungalows is one of the crimes which this nation tolerates.
Typical of many Ghanaians, even when the offence is glaring, nobody wants to be the “bad” person to have talked about it, let alone get someone punished for it.
We are a nation of 22 million-plus grumblers, none – or very few - of whom are ready to take the next step of getting the offence exposed. What is even worse is when the offenders are to be punished.
A sympathy-party is soon in session and accusing fingers begin pointing at those suspected of having leaked the information.
So, for years, a civil servant responsible for allocation of bungalows will enjoy a field day collecting “rent” from people to whom he has illegally allocated bungalows
While it is true that some are cronies, it is being established that the majority of the beneficiaries actually pay “rent” in brown envelopes pushed under the counter or paid secretly into bank accounts.
Two days later, the reasons for non-payment of rent came out; at least, two of the reasons.
One was lack of any update of the data on occupants of the bungalows; two was the hijacking of the bungalows by public officials for their cronies without approval from the allocation committee.
The Regional Engineer of the Public Works Department (PWD) disclosed that “over the years, the procedure for bungalow allocation to public and civil servants has been breached”
Hear him: “Instead of the occupants …handing over the keys to the PWD whenever they vacate them, they rather hand over to their cronies who quickly occupy them without official notification. Over the years, this has been going on for so long that the PWD is not able to keep inventory of properties and the identity of occupants.”
Civil and public servants whom we spoke to on the issue were surprised that the Times considered this as news. “This is typical”, they chorused, prepared to “bet (their) bottom dollar” that in many cases, the situation may be worse than the litany of woes coming from Sunyani.
For many people we spoke with, the issue of official bungalows is one of the crimes which this nation tolerates.
Typical of many Ghanaians, even when the offence is glaring, nobody wants to be the “bad” person to have talked about it, let alone get someone punished for it.
We are a nation of 22 million-plus grumblers, none – or very few - of whom are ready to take the next step of getting the offence exposed. What is even worse is when the offenders are to be punished.
A sympathy-party is soon in session and accusing fingers begin pointing at those suspected of having leaked the information.
So, for years, a civil servant responsible for allocation of bungalows will enjoy a field day collecting “rent” from people to whom he has illegally allocated bungalows
While it is true that some are cronies, it is being established that the majority of the beneficiaries actually pay “rent” in brown envelopes pushed under the counter or paid secretly into bank accounts.
Popular stories from Editorials
