General News of Friday, 21 July 2023

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Initiate investigations into Dapaah's case immediately if you want to set a good example - Vitus Azeem to Akufo-Addo

Vitus Azeem wants Akufo-Addo to immediately act in the Cecilia Dapaah case play videoVitus Azeem wants Akufo-Addo to immediately act in the Cecilia Dapaah case

An anti-corruption crusader, Vitus Azeem, has challenged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo wants to prove the likes of former president John Dramani Mahama wrong, by initiating immediate investigations into the Cecilia Dapaah $1 million case.

Cecilia Dapaah, who is the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, has been in the news because of a case she has sent to the court over the alleged theft of two of her house helps, who are said to have stolen large sums of monies from their house at Abelemkpe.

According to a report by The Chronicle, a total of US$1 million, €300,000, and millions of Ghana cedis were stolen by the househelps: Patience and Sarah.

Following these reports, individuals including former President John Dramani Mahama have dragged President Akufo-Addo for overseeing bad and corrupt leadership through his appointees.

But speaking in a phone interview with GhanaWeb, the former Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Vitus Azeem, said that there is the need for the president to prove critics wrong by demanding for immediate investigations into the issue.

“If he wants to set a good example, he needs to commission an immediate investigation into this matter. And then if the investigations come out with findings that show that the monies were acquired illegally, then the necessary actions must be taken,” he explained.



Vitus Azeem however added that from past experiences, he does not think that anything will be done to the minister.

“But from past experience, we never see these things happen. He's probably likely to come out wrong and say that the minister has done nothing wrong, then the battle will die,” he added.

Former President John Dramani Mahama, in reaction to the news story, called into question the integrity of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

He wondered if the president would ever set a good example with his appointees.

“$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.

AE/WA