A political scientist at the University of Ghana, Prof Ransford Gyampo, has expressed his reservations on comments made by President Akufo-Addo, insisting that it could undermine the ongoing investigation into the scandal involving former Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena-Dapaah.

According to him, he disapproves of the President’s remarks on the matter, where in accepting the resignation of the former minister, the President stated that: “At the end of the day, your integrity, whilst in office, will be fully established”.

To this, Prof Gyampo revealed that such comments have the tendency to interfere with the outcome and independence of security agencies handling the investigation. He explained that it is a recurring issue where the President has the tendency of expressing hope in the exoneration of individuals under investigation.

“The President accepted her resignation, but I didn’t like the bit where he expressed hope that she [Cecilia Abena- Dapaah] was going to be exonerated. It shouldn’t come from the President. It’s becoming one too many, sometimes when people are going to be investigated, you hear the number one gentleman of the land making comments to the effect that the person is not even guilty.”
Prof Ransford Gyampo

Prof Gyampo highlighted that regardless of how independent people are, they tend to be “holding to the President”. As such, he explained that when the country is confronted with this kind of issue of the President expressing this kind of hope, it poses concern.

“It tends to undermine their independent capacity to be able to work and come out with findings. He should just have accepted the resignation letter and he shouldn’t have commented further.”
Prof Ransford Gyampo

John Mahama and NDC are hypocritical

Meanwhile, Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ernest Kofi Owusu-Bempah, has revealed that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and its flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, are being hypocritical in relation to their criticisms of President Akufo-Addo and the former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources Cecilia Abena Dapaah.

Mr Owusu-Bempah to this end, dared the former President to swear by the popular river god deity ‘antoa’ that he has never kept over one million Dollars before in his house. He indicated that although the NPP does not support the action of Madam Cecilia Dapaah in keeping such an amount of money at home, the NDC should stop being hypocritical in this matter.

“We condemn that act of the woman, we are not supporting the action of the woman which is why the OSP, established by NPP, is investigating the matter. At least the woman has shown integrity by resigning from the government. But the NDC should stop being hypocritical. The BNI and National Security should start going to the homes of the NDC bigwigs and John Mahama to see if they are also not allegedly keeping huge money in their homes. The OSP should be granted a search warrant to search Mahama’s house. John Mahama should come and swear by antoa if he hasn’t kept one million dollars before.”
Ernest Kofi Owusu-Bempah

Elsewhere, Builsa South Member of Parliament, Dr Clement Apaak, has asked the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to be swift in investigating the immediate past Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources Madam Ceclila Abena Dapaah.

Dr Apaak stated that the issues involving Madam Abena Dapaah are national issues that have generated intense public interest.

“It is not just about arresting her, Ghanaians are expecting agility from the Special Prosecutor to get to the bottom of this issue, that we need to know the source of the money because we are in need of money as a country, the country is broke, we can’t pay capitation grants, special need schools have not received feeding grants since January. So, yes, we want to know the source of the money.”
Dr Clement Apaak