Stolen cash: Sanitation Minister resigns

Accra July 22, GNA – The Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah, has resigned from her position.
The resignation is contained in a letter signed by her and addressed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The resignation follows public discourse on an alleged theft that took place in her house where monies and valuables running into millions of dollars and cedis were stolen.

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

“Since yesterday, Friday, July 21, 2023, social and traditional media have been full of stones about a court case involving a theft that took place last year in the home I live with my husband and daughter.

“The stories sought to suggest that I own various huge sums of foreign currencies and millions of Ghana cedis, which have been stolen from my home.

“…I am resigning 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, ” she wrote.

“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,” she added.

While expressing her appreciation to the President for giving her the opportunity to serve the country, the Minister said she would corporate with State agencies to fully investigate the issue and come out with the truth.

“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 Mr President for the honour.”

Earlier, Mrs Mary Awelana Addah, Acting Executive Director, Ghana Integrity Initiative, urged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to ask Madam Dapaah to step aside for investigations into the stolen cash in her home.

That, she said, would help establish the source of the wealth of the Minister.

The items allegedly stolen include US$1 million, €300,000, millions of Ghana Cedis, assorted clothes valued at GH¢95,000, handbags, perfumes, and jewellery valued at US$95,000.

They were alleged to have been stolen by two househelps of the couple.

The two are in custody assisting investigations while the matter has been adjourned to August 2, 2023.

GNA