According to investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, the president secretly ordered the former sanitation minister to resign after hearing that a large sum of money had vanished from her home.
On Monday, he revealed on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show that President Akufo-Addo, who was in Rome at the time, was enraged by the news and had ordered Cecilia Abena Dapaah to submit her resignation or he would be forced to remove her from office.
“I’m privy to what went on before that resignation was tendered. The President was away in Rome when the news broke. One evening, he called his entourage and ask what was happening back home.
“And I’m told they gave him all the briefing and the information I have is that he got very angry and said Cecilia Abena Dapaah shouldn’t be disgracing his government this way.
“And other calls were made to Ghana and by Saturday morning, the information I had was that the president had to sack her when he returned.
“But later in the day, he changed his mind and instructed the Chief of Staff to call her and ask her to tender in her resignation.
“Failure to do so, she would be fired. This is information I have from sources that were with the president when this issue was happening,” Manasseh Azure told host Kojo Yankson.
This happened not long after the former Minister herself submitted her resignation, according to the journalist.
According to Cecilia Abena Dapaah, the media and police reported on the situation inconsistently.
She said she would explain them, but she didn’t until after resigning, and she still hasn’t.
Despite reports that the President was upset after hearing the news, he expressed confidence in the former Minister’s integrity by accepting her resignation.
He seemed to imply that after all the evidence was exposed, she would be found not guilty.
Since then, the public has been incensed by the president’s response because some have said it was bias. Investigations are still ongoing in the interim.
According to reports, the Office of the Special Prosecutor will turn the matter over to the Deputy Attorney General.
