General News of Saturday, 22 July 2023

Source: classfmonline.com

Mahama sacked Victoria Hamah over US$1m intention, fire Cecilia Dapaah - NDC MP to Akufo-Addo

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

Bole MP Yusif Sulemana has wondered why Water and Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah kept some $1 million, €300,000 and several millions of Ghana cedis at her Abelemkpe residence instead of the bank or any financial institution.

The sums were allegedly stolen by her househelps, who she has dragged to court, according to the Chronicle newspaper.

Reacting to the news in an interview with Class91.3FM's parliamentary correspondent Havilah Kekeli on Friday, 21 July 2023, Mr Sulemana demanded an investigation by state agaencies such as the National Intelligence Bureau and the Office of the Special Prosecutor to ascertain the source of the money.

"I expect the president to fire her if, indeed, it's true that she kept all that huge sum of money in her house", Mr Sulemana told Kekeli.

"The questions is: where did she get the money?" He recalled that Ms Victoria Hamah, a former deputy minister, "just expressed an intent" to make $1 million before exiting office and "His Excellency, the former president, John Dramani Mahama, exited her".

"It tells you that he [Mr Mahama] was fighting corruption and he was committed to fighting corruption".

"Today, we're told that a minister of state kept that huge sum of money in her house. If, indeed, the money is legitimate, why would you put it in your house and not in the bank?" the opposition lawmaker asked.

"She was trying to hide it", he asserted, and, "of course, those around her might have realised that, 'Look, if we steal this money, it will be difficult for her to make noise about it'. And, so, for me, if it is established that this woman was keeping such huge sum of money, the first thing to do is for the president to fire her, sack her. That is when we'll know and believe that the president can fight corruption".

"For me, for now, I'm not interested in who has stolen the money; I'm interested in finding out how she got the money and why is she not keeping it in the bank and rather in her room? These are the questions to ask".