Over eight hundred residents including a spiritualist in the Suhum Municipality of the Eastern region are calling for the head of the Member of Parliament (MP) for Fanteakwa North Constituency, Kwabena Amankwa Asiamah to explain the whereabouts of an estimated GH¢ 200,000 deposited in a bank he owns.
The aggrieved residents are depositors of Fanteakwa Rural Bank which is owned by the MP, but has gone bankrupt since 2012.
The aggrieved depositors who are mainly traders, taxi drivers and farmers complained to the DAILY HERITAGE at Suhum that their deposits with the bank range between GH¢ 400.00-GH¢ 12,800.00.They said efforts made to retrieve the money since 2012 have proven futile.
Ahaji Halidu Saabu Aziz, a spiritualist at Suhum Kukua -Koransan said when confronted the MP told them that the bank is in crises because it gave loans to some politicians during the 2012 election and repayment of the loan has been difficult which has affected the operations of the bank and compelled it to shut down all its offices in the Eastern region.
He said the excuse given by the MP is unfortunate because their savings at the bank were not meant to sponsor political activities.
Alhaji Aziz stated that they are mobilizing to stage a demonstration against the MP at the forecourt of Parliament House to petition the Speaker of Parliament.
Some of the victims who are traders at Suhum Market said they will physically confront the MP to give their monies to them anytime they see him around.
They said the situation has killed their spirit of savings, hence, are reluctant to save with any other financial institution.
Investigations conducted by the paper showed that the bank has since 2012 closed all its branches and offices in Koforidua, Begoro, Osiem, Suhum and other parts, all in the Eastern region.
The situation has generated anger and frustration among the customers of the ailing bank.
When contacted, the MP debunked the allegation of using customers’ deposits to finance campaign activities, adding that the bankruptcy of the bank is due to failure by creditors to pay back loans collected.
He said efforts are underway to revive the bank to enable it pay all its customers.