MP Scolds Akufo-Addo Over Cecilia Dapaah’s Innocence Comment

Asante-Akim North Member of Parliament, Andy Appiah-Kubi says President Akufo-Addo’s comments extolling and affirming the integrity of the immediate past Sanitation and Water Resources Minister, Cecilia Dapaah, is unnecessary and prejudicial.

The minister resigned from her position on Friday, July 22,2023 after reports emerged that she had stashed huge sums of money in her home, part of which had allegedly been stolen by two house helps who are now facing prosecution alongside other accomplices.

In her letter addressed to the President, Madam Dapaah explained that she decided to step down because she did not want this matter “to become a preoccupation of government and a hindrance to the work of government.”

However, President Akufo-Addo in accepting her resignation praised her for her loyalty and excellent work done during her tenure and also expressed his confidence in the former minister’s integrity, suggesting also that he was hopeful her integrity would be intact after official investigations.

“I am confident like you, that, at the end of the day, your integrity whilst in office will be fully established,” he said.

But the Asante-Akim North lawmaker who was speaking on TV3 on Saturday, July 29, said the President should have kept his comments to himself. 

He thus quizzed the President what will be his view should a contrary finding be found against the embattled former minister. 

“The president’s comments were very unnecessary. If he had any comments, he could have given to another person that he had. But putting those comments out was very unnecessary because if the state institutions finds her culpable, would the president eat back his words? Again, that is his opinion but I wouldn’t do that because it’s unnecessary and kind of prejudicial.”

Meanwhile, the Office of the Special Prosecutor has placed the resigned minister under arrest for suspected corruption and corruption-related offences and subsequently conducted a search of her home. 

The OSP has said it will update the public on completion of its investigation.