The embattled Minister of Sanitation, Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah has resigned as the sector minister following the revelation that millions were stolen from her home by two househelps.
Her decision was contained in a letter addressed to the President dated Saturday, July 22, 2023 and signed by Madam Dapaah.
The minister has been at the receiving end of criticisms with many calling on anti-graft institutions to investigate her source of wealth after it became public knowledge that $1 million, €300,000 and millions of cedis were stolen from her Abelemkpe residence.
Few hours after issuing a statement to debunk the amount involved in the money stolen by the househelps, another statement was issued by her, this time, announcing her resignation.
“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,” Madam Cecilia Dapaah wrote.
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.”
The Minister, who believes she would be exonerated of all the allegations leveled against her, assured that she would cooperate fully with all state agencies.
“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 said.
The Sanitation Minister was grateful to the President for the opportunity to serve under his government.
“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.”
BRIEF FACTS
The court was told in the amended charge sheet and brief facts that Patience, also known as Maabena, was a house help of the complainants, Daniel Osei Kuffour and his wife, Cecilia Abena Dapaah.
The court was further told that Sarah was also a former house help of the complainants.
Her Honour Susana Ekuful was told that the complainants reported the case to the police somewhere in June, this year, after detecting theft of cash and their personal effects.
Preceding the report, Patience was caught to have opened and entered the couple’s room with a duplicate key.
A1 was caught by Mr Kuffour, who returned from town only to find out that their bedroom was opened, as well as hearing an unusual noise coming from it.
The first complainant, Mr Kuffour, entered the room and found A1 hiding behind the door.
It was after this incident that the complainants detected that some of their properties were missing.
A1 was arrested and released on police enquiry bail, but unfortunately, went into hiding with her boyfriend, Benjamin, in Tamale.
While in Tamale, the love birds allegedly rented a 3-bedroom apartment at the cost of GH¢105,600 as well as a store at the cost of GH¢120,000.
The police arrested her upon intelligence and on a spot search conducted in their apartment led to the retrieval of US$40,000 and GH¢72, 619.70.
Patience allegedly bought 3-bedroom house at a cost of US$70,000 at Amrahia and furnished it with the following brand new items – a double decker refrigerator, water dispenser, a television set, washing machine and a chest cooler among others.
She also bought Hyundai Elantra at the cost of GH¢80,000 for Benjamin who also sold it to purchase Honda Civic.
A1 also gave her father GH¢50,000 and GH¢100,000 to Malik (ex-boyfriend.)
The court heard that A1 implicated Sarah during interrogation that she was her accomplice.
Thus, when they were working together in the complainants’ house, A1 used to keep watch at the main gate to enable Sarah to enter the couple’s room to steal, after which they shared the spoil.
Sarah was arrested at Budumburam and during investigation, it came to light that she used her portion of the stolen money to build 3-bedroom house at where she was arrested.
The case is adjourned to August 2, 2023.