Akufo-Addo’s opinion about Cecilia Dapaah’s integrity unnecessary, untimely – NPP MP

New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Asante Akim North, Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi has said that President Akufo-Addo erred in expressing his opinion on embattled former Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources Cecilia Abena Dapaah’s integrity as he accepted her resignation from the Ministry.

For Mr Appiah Kubi,  even though the President is entitled to his opinion on Cecilia Dapaah’s integrity or otherwise, making it public was unnecessary and untimely and even borders on being prejudicial since the appropriate law enforcement agencies are yet to return a verdict on whether or not she is guilty or acted inappropriately.

The President had while accepting Cecilia Dapaah’s resignation, stressed her loyalty, and said that he was confident that her integrity will be established.

“It is with considerable regret that I accept your resignation, and I applaud your loyalty to the image and standing of the Government. The work you undertook during your period in Government was excellent and productive, and I thank you for your wholehearted contribution and devotion to the progress of the Government and the Nation. I am confident, like you, that, at the end of the day, your integrity, whilst in office, will be fully established. I wish you the very best in all your endeavours,” the President had said.

But Mr Appiah Kubi, speaking on TV 3’s Keypoints programme Saturday, July 29, 2023, said that it was unnecessary, untimely and somewhat prejudicial:

“The part[ of the acceptance letter] that talks about the President’s opinion was unnecessary. If the President had an opinion, it was an opinion left to him. And if he had any advice at all, he could have given the advice to whoever, not for public consumption. So I believe strongly that it was a very unnecessary addition to the letter. Assuming that investigations prove otherwise, will the President take back his words? So it was very unnecessary, very untimely. You know it is also a bit prejudicial. But again that’s his opinion. So we give it to him. I don’t agree with that opinion,” he said.

Cecilia Dapaah resigned after it came to light through court documents that she had millions of cash in dollars, Cedi and Euro denominations in her bedroom and part of the cash got stolen by two of her domestic workers. The domestic workers were sued for stealing, leading to the revelations and public outrage that eventually forced her to resign.