Loyal’ Cecilia Dapaah’s integrity will be established-President Akufo-Addo 

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is confident that the integrity of former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, will be protected.

“I am confident, like you, that, at the end of the day your integrity, whilst in office, will be dully established,” the President said in a statement accepting Ms Dapaah’s resignation on Saturday, July 22, 2023.

The former MP for Bantama and also a one-time Minister of Aviation,  tendered in her resignation following a court case in which two house helps and others are standing trial for allegedly stealing $1 million, €300,000 and millions of cedis from her Ablekuma residence.

Excellent work

A statement issued by the Director of Communications at the Presidency Eugene Arhin communicating the President’s acceptance of the resignation said,  President Akufo-Addo described the work done by the former minister as “excellent and productive”.

“It is with considerable regret that I accept your resignation, and I applaud your loyalty to the image and standing of the government.

“The work you undertook during your period in Government was excellent and productive, and I thank you for your wholehearted contribution and devotion to the progress of the Government and the nation.”

President Akufo-Addo applauded  Ms Dapaah’s loyalty to the image and standing of his government and thanked her also for her wholehearted contribution and devotion to the progress of the government and the nation, while wishing her the best in all her endeavours.

The statement further indicated that the President will soon appoint a new Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources.

Resignation letter

In a resignation letter dated, Saturday, July 22, 2023 and addressed to the President, she wrote:

”I write to inform you that I wish to resign from my position as Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources.

“It has been a great privilege and honour for me to have been given the opportunity to serve in your government and an even greater honour to have worked to try and bring your great vision for our country to fruition.

“Whereas I can state emphatically that those figures do not represent correctly what my husband and I reported to the Police, I am very much aware of the import of such stories around someone in my position.

“I am resigning therefore because I do not want this matter to become a preoccupation of government and a hindrance to the work of government at such a crucial time.

”I intend to cooperate fully with all state agencies to enable them fully establish the facts, I have no doubt whatsoever that at the end of the processes, it will be fully established that I have conducted myself with integrity during my period in public service and I will be fully exonerated from all the allegations that have filled the public domain in the past 24 hours.

“ I thank you my dear, Mr President, for the honour done me in giving me the opportunity to serve our beautiful nation Ghana,” she wrote.

Inconsistencies

Earlier in a press statement, Mrs Dapaah stated that there were inconsistencies in the complaint he and her husband lodged with the police and what had been reported in the public domain from the charge sheet and court proceedings.

“There are noticeable inconsistencies between what is being discussed in the public domain and the thrust of the original complaint on the matter.

“ I refer to publications dated 21/07/2023 suggesting that I own one million dollars, three hundred thousand euros and millions of cedis which have been stolen from my house.”

”There are noticeable inconsistencies between what is being discussed in the public domain and the thrust of the original complaint on the matter,” she wrote.

She added: “I am taking steps to examine the origins of the inconsistencies and will provide a detailed response in the coming days.”

Charges

Two house helps who worked for the Minister and her husband, Daniel Osei Kuffour are facing charges at an Accra Circuit Court, for allegedly stealing monies and items worth millions of cedis from the couple’s residence at Abelemkpe in Accra.

The accused are 18-year-old Patience Botwe and 30-year-old Sarah Agyei.

They allegedly stole $1 million, €300,000, and millions of Ghanaian cedis at the former minister’s residence at Abelenkpe, Accra, in October 2022.

The two house helps, 18-year-old Patience Botwe and 30-year-old Sarah Agyei allegedly stole the monies and personal effects of Abena Dapaah and her husband, between the months of July and October 2022.

Other personal effects belonging to the minister including assorted clothes valued at GH¢95,000, handbags, perfumes, and jewellery worth US$95,000 were stolen .

They have been charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and five counts of stealing.

The alleged thefts occurred between July and October 2022.

Patience Botwe has also been accused of stealing six pieces of Kente cloth worth GH¢90,000 and six sets of men’s suits valued at US$3,000, which belong to the minister’s husband.

Furthermore, three other individuals, identified as Ms. Botwe’s current and former boyfriends and her father, are also facing charges for allegedly being involved in the crime. They have been respectively charged with dishonestly receiving GH¢1 million, GH¢180,000, and GH¢50,000.

Inaccurate figures

Ms Dapaah however insisted that there were inaccuracies in the figures being bandied in the media.

“Whereas I can state emphatically that those figures do not represent correctly what my husband and I reported to the Police, I am very much aware of the import of such stories around someone in my position.”

“ I intend to cooperate fully with all state agencies to enable them fully establish the facts. I have no doubt whatsoever that at the end of the processes, it will be fully established that I have conducted myself with integrity during my period in public service and I will be fully exonerated from all the allegations that have filled the public domain in the past 24 hours.”