$1m, €300k stolen cash: Swear by 'antoa' if you've never kept $1m in your home - Owusu Bempah dares John Mahama

A Deputy Director of Communications of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ernest Owusu Bempah, has dared former President John Dramani Mahama to swear by the popular river god deity ‘antoa’ if he has never kept over one million dollars in his home.

"John Mahama should come and swear by antoa if he hasn’t kept $1m before . . . we are daring Mahama, if he is a man he should swear by antoa that he never kept more than this in his home before. If he can’t swear then he and his NDC should shut up,” he said in an interview.

According to him, the NPP does not support the action of the former Sanitation Minister, Mrs Cecilia Dapaah in keeping such a huge amount of money in her bedroom.

“We condemn that act of the woman, we are not supporting the action of the woman which is why the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), established by the NPP, is investigating the matter. At least the woman has shown integrity by resigning from government . . . NDC has no moral right to criticize the NPP for this,” he said.

He said the National Democratic Congres (NDC) and their flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama are being hypocritical in their criticisms of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in relation to the case.

“ . . the NDC should stop being hypocritical. The BNI and National Security should start going to the homes of the NDC bigwigs and John Mahama to see if they are also not allegedly keeping huge monies in their homes. The OSP should be granted a search warrant to search Mahama’s house,” he added.

"Where did Mahama get that money he doled out to delegates from for his re-election? $1m is a chicken change to Mahama, he should give us a break,” he said.

The former President in a tweet on Friday said, "$1m+ €300k & millions of GHS in a Ghanaian Minister's home? Scandalous!! Even if genuinely acquired, why keep millions of hard currency at home? Will @NAkufoAddo ever set a good example for public office holders in his administration?"

Cecilia Dapaah Arrested By OSP

Cecilia Abena Dapaah, the former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, has been arrested by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).

This was confirmed in a statement signed by the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng dated July 24, 2023.

This follows a court case in which two house helps and others are standing trial for allegedly stealing $1 million, €300,000 and millions of cedis from her Ablekuma residence.

Two of her house helps, Patience Botwe (18) and Sarah Agyei (30), were previously charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and five counts of stealing, following the alleged incidents between July and October 2022.