Professor Ransford Gyampo, a senior lecturer and political scientist at the University of Ghana, has harshly criticised President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for making comments that could potentially undermine the ongoing investigation into the scandal involving former Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena-Dapaah.
Professor Gyampo made his criticisms in a recent article published on the university's website.
In accepting the resignation of the former minister, the President stated, “At the end of the day, your integrity will have been fully established while you were in office.”
However, the respected academician stated in an interview that aired on Eyewitness News on Monday, July 24, his dissatisfaction with the President's words, adding that such comments have the potential to interfere with the results and independence of the security agencies that are handling the inquiry. This interview aired on Monday.
He went on to emphasise that it is an ongoing problem where the President has a tendency to express hope for the exoneration of people who are under investigation.
Gyampo slams Akufo-Addo for preempting probe into Cecilia Dapaah’s scandal
“The president accepted her resignation, but the part where he expressed hope that she [Cecilia Abena-Dapaah] was going to be exonerated was not something that I liked,” she said. It is inappropriate for the president to say this.
When people are going to be probed, you sometimes hear the number one gentleman of the nation making comments to the effect that the person is not even guilty. This is becoming one too many, and it is getting unacceptable.
“No matter how free-thinking individuals are, they have a propensity to stick close to the president. When we have a situation like this one, with the President expressing hope like this, we have a problem. It has a tendency to weaken individuals' independent capacity to operate and produce conclusions.
It would have been best for him to simply accept the letter of resignation and refrain from making any additional comments.
On the other hand, he commended the former minister for being so courageous as to step down from her job after holding it for so long.
“I'm thrilled and ecstatic that she quit; in Ghana, we don't resign, and even if we did, we wouldn't know how to do it. I am of the opinion that it is for the best, and I am relieved that she tendered her resignation.”
She saved herself and the president from the kind of criticism that would have been levelled against the president, who wouldn't have heeded any call to fire her,” he remarked. “She saved herself and the president from the kind of criticism that would have been levelled against the president.”
On Monday, July 24, 2023, members of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) conducted a search of the residence of the former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources.
Earlier on Monday, Madam Dapaah was selected for questioning about her possible involvement in corruption.
Two househelps who worked for Madam Dapaah and her husband, Daniel Osei Kuffour, have been brought before an Accra Circuit Court on allegations that they stole things and money totaling millions of Ghana Cedis.
