Accra, Ghana//-Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah has resigned 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.
This was announced in a letter issued and signed by the Minister on Saturday, July 22, 2023.
According to Madam Dapaah, the media reports since July 21, 2022 “have been full of stories 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.
“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.”
As a result, the Minister wished to excuse herself from her position.
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“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,” she explained.
The Sanitation Minister added that even though she is resigning, she intends to cooperate fully with all state agencies to enable them fully establish the facts of the matter.
She believes that she will be exonerated of all allegations leveled against her, adding that “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.”
She thanked the President for the opportunity to serve the beautiful nation of Ghana.
“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,” she added.
Background
An Accra Circuit Court has been told that huge sums of money and other items of Sanitation Minister 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.
African Eye Report/Myjoyonline