The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) and the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) are calling for a transparent and comprehensive investigations into the alleged money theft at Hon. Cecelia Abena Dapaah’s and the immediate passing of the Conduct of Public Officer’s Bill to strengthen Ghana’s asset declaration regime.
“The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) and the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) have followed with keen interest, the recent news of the alleged theft of substantial amounts of money and personal effects belonging to the Minister of Sanitation and the husband. The allegedly stolen sums of money – One Million Dollars (US$1 Million), Three Hundred Thousand Euros (€300,000), and unspecified millions of Ghana Cedis– has sparked serious concerns about the source and intended use of these funds”.
The Group GII urged President Akufo Addo to take a decisive action in addressing alleged corruption cases and back his rhetoric on fighting corruption in Ghana by expelling the popular perception of interferences in corruption investigations, involving persons in his government.
“This Bill includes provisions on the amendments of the existing Asset Declaration Act to guarantee a robust Asset Declaration regime. The Conduct of Public Officer’s Bill has been in front of Cabinet for more than a year with no clear commitment to having it laid before parliament for consideration and passage.
They are also calling for strengthening the Criminal Code (Amendment) Act, 2003 (Act 646) to provide for the reverse burden of proof in addressing illicit enrichment”.
This was contained in a press release issued by to express worries about Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah saga.
They further called for the immediate protection of the two house helps named in the story since they serve as prime witnesses to the unfolding case.
“What this case brings to the fore is that, the time has come in Ghana for the government to enact laws that will strengthen the Criminal Offences, Act 1960 (Act 29) and other anticorruption laws to include reverse burden of proof in addressing illicit enrichment”.
They indicated that, much as they applaud the announced resignation of Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah, it seems unconscionable to think of a public officer and a renowned political personality keeping such colossal amounts of money outside of the banking sector.
“Regrettable as the theft by workers of the Honourable Minister is, questions of the sources of the funds are legitimate and must be Investigated by the various competent authorities. This is why the news of Madam Cecilia Dapaah’s swift arrest and subsequent investigation by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) must be commended even as we ask for transparency in the investigation”.
