Freda Prempeh, the Member of Parliament for Tano North and Minister of State at the Presidency, has been chosen by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to be the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources.
She succeeds Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah, who resigned days ago.
“The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has appointed the Minister of State at the Presidency and Member of Parliament for Tano North, Hon. Freda Prempeh, as the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources. She takes over from Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah, whose letter of resignation, dated Saturday, 22nd July 2023, was accepted by the President on Saturday, 22. July 2023.”
Office of the President
The Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways and Member of Parliament for Afigya Sekyere East, Hon. Mavis Nkansah Boadu, was also appointed by President Akufo-Addo as the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, after consulting with the respective Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and Roads and Highways.
Hon. Thomas Mbomba, Member of Parliament for Tatale/Sanguli and Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, has also been named Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways.
This information was released in a statement dated today, Tuesday, July 25, 2023, and signed by Eugene Arhin, Director of Communications in the Office of the President.
Meanwhile, Dr. Richard Amoako Baah, a prominent member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), lambasted President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for standing up for Cecilia Abena Dapaah, the former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources.
President Akufo-Addo was instructed by Dr. Amoako Baah to inquire as to Madam Dapaah’s wealth’s origin.
“The president said he is sure her integrity would be restored. You [can] wish her well, that is ok, but don’t tell her you are sure her integrity will be restored. From what evidence?
“A person who has so much money under her bed, is the person you are defending without any evidence? Where did the money come from? That is the question the president is supposed to ask, not praise her and hope that her integrity is restored.”
Dr. Richard Amoako Baah
Cecelia Dapaah’s Money Is Legal
However, MP for Anyaa Sowutuom, Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi vigorously defended the embattled former Sanitation Minister.
Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi refuted claims that Madam Dapaah obtained the money in an unethical manner. He claimed that if the former Minister had indeed stolen the money from public funds as claimed, she could not have filed a lawsuit or reported the incident to the police.
“I think she is innocent because she couldn’t even have gone to the police station, if the money was fake. Law is common sense and based on that premise, I’m 100% sure. Ghanaians should be rest assured it was not illegally acquired. I will beg all Ghanaians to be calm on this matter because most politicians owe private businesses but are quiet on their monies.”
Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi
Moreover, he found it unsettling that Ghanaians consistently presume that politicians who lead lavish lives, do so with funds from the state coffers.
“If Despite is an MP and you see this money in his house, will you complain or be surprised? You will be making a mistake when you make certain assertions about the source of a politician’s wealth.
“People were travelling before politics but now, they will say you are using public funds. But if Despite was an MP and we found this kind of money in his house, I don’t think anybody would have been surprised.”
Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi
In addition, given her (Cecilia Dapaah’s) prominence in Ghanaian politics, the MP called for maintenance of composure in the situation and caution from the media in particular.
“It’s unfortunate this has happened but it will change a lot of things and we as politicians will be more careful. Kufuor’s Ministers were not nobodies. Madam Dapaah started politics as far back as 2000 and has handled a lot of businesses.”
Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi
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