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Some National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs are asking President Akufo-Addo to immediately sack the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah for allegedly keeping US$1 million, €300,000, and millions of Ghana Cedis at her home.
The Minority MPs say it is unlawful for the Minister to have kept such large sums of money at home, after reports emerged that her two house helps have been arrested for stealing the money.
The Members of Parliament for Bole Bamboi and Kumbungu made the demand.
According to the Bole Bamboi MP, Yussif Sulemana her sacking will mean President Akufo-Addo is committed to the fight against corruption.
“I expect the President to fire her if it’s true that she kept that huge sum of money in her house. The question is where did she get the money? If indeed that money was legitimate, why did she put it in her house instead of the bank? If it is indeed established that this woman was keeping such sums of money, the first thing is for the President to sack her.
“That’s the only way we would know that the President is fighting corruption. The President must act and act immediately. The next stage is that any state institution interested in investigating her could do so freely,” Mr. Sulemana said when he addressed the media.
Meanwhile, the Kumbungu lawmaker, Hamza Adam insisted it would be shocking if it is indeed established that the said monies were kept in the house of the Minister.
According to him, a thorough investigation ought to be conducted into the allegations.
“Every minister of state has the right to own properties provided those properties are owned on the back of legitimacy. The issue surrounding Cecilia Dapaah is something that has come up as a shock, especially when everyone knows that the country is in a crisis. It will be surprising if indeed such monies were kept by her in her house. We have to establish the truth of the matter.”
“We are expecting the proper legal action to be taken and an investigation triggered to establish where she got the money from. I think it is illegal to keep such money in your house,” the Kumbungu MP added.
Already, former President John Dramani Mahama has questioned how the Sanitation Minister Cecilia Abena Dapaah kept US$1 million, €300,000, and millions of Ghana Cedis at her home.
Mr Mahama said the conduct of the Minister is scandalous and must be called called out.
“$1m + €300k and millions of GHS in a Ghanaian Minister’s home? Scandalous!!”
“Even if genuinely acquired, why keep millions of hard currency at home?”
“Will @NAkufoAddo ever set a good example for public office holders in his administration?,” he tweeted on Friday.
Background
An Accra Circuit Court has been told that huge sums of money and other items of Sanitation Minister Cecilia Abena Dapaah and her husband, Daniel Osei Kuffour have been stolen from their Abelemkpe home.
According to the prosecution, the thefts happened between July and October last year.
The Chronicle newspaper reports that two house helps – Patience Botwe, 18, and Sarah Agyei, 30 – are currently facing charges before the Court for their alleged involvement in the theft.
The accused persons are facing one count of conspiracy to commit a crime and five counts of stealing, involving amounts of US$1 million, €300,000, and millions of Ghana Cedis.
According to the same report, the pair during the same period allegedly stole the personal belongings of Cecilia Dapaah, including assorted clothes valued at GH¢95,000, handbags, perfumes, and jewellery valued at US$95,000.
Further accusations involve Patience acting alone to steal six pieces of Kente cloth worth GH¢90,000 and six sets of men’s suits valued at US$3,000, which belonged to her husband.
Three additional persons have also been charged in connection with the thefts.
