'I won't quit politics until I make US$1m'

There’s a leaked tape on which a voice purported to be that of Deputy Communications Minister, Victoria Hammah, is heard telling a female interlocutor that she will not quit politics until she makes at least US$1m.

The two ladies, who appeared to be traveling while having the gossipy conversation, are also heard on the leaked secret audio tape harshly condemning the Deputy Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Rachel Appoh, for instigating bad press against her boss, Nana Oye Lithur.


They described Rachel Appoh as a “senseless, ugly, loud and egoistic” woman who has been needlessly fighting Oye Lithur.


The voice purported to be that of Victoria Hammah is heard saying she confronted Rachel Appoh about why she was risking her appointment as a Deputy Minister by fighting her boss, even though “she cannot boast of 100,000 Ghana cedis or 100,000 dollars” in her personal account yet.


She’s again heard saying: “…I told Rachel that I really understand politics...I will not quit politics until I make one million dollars. If you have money then you can control people”.


The voice also accused Rachel Appoh of making her look bad in front of the First Lady some time ago, even though she had always painted her as an Angel to the First Lady.

Victoria Hammah, on August 3, 2013 wrote on her facebook wall that a lot of pressure was being mounted on her by some Ghanaians to “steal” from the state kitty to satisfy their needs.


Ms. Hammah, who described as “obnoxious” and an “unhealthy menace”, the deluge of prodding and incessant attempts by people to railroad her into corrupt acts, said the situation is befuddling.


According to her, “the public make unrealistic demands of money for funerals, support for Mphil programmes, monies for air fare ticket, hospital bills, capital for businesses, money for rent and even demand to induce [the] justice process etc. People even ask of me to use official letter heads to influence processes for them”.


She noted that: “Since my appointment as a deputy Minister of Communications, the aforementioned [are] but a few of the obnoxious demands made of me by some Ghanaians”.


“…Where do[es] the public expect me to get the money from?” She wondered, adding that: “Corrupt Politicians are the reflection of [a] corrupt society!” The young Deputy Minister said anytime she enquired from those in question where they thought she could get the money, “their answers seem obvious; 'steal and give us our share'”.

“This I find very retrogressive indeed!” Victoria Hammah condemned. “Are we beginning as a people to accept the menace of corruption and abuse of office? Are we institutionalising corruption?” She asked.


She noted that: “We must wake up to this unhealthy menace and address it comprehensively; in as much as we demand accountability from public office holders, we as a people must demand accountability from our own conscience”.


"When there is no meat eater; the butcher doesn't have a Job", she quoted.


In the backdrop of the leaked tape, XYZ News reached Victoria Hammah for her comments on the matter she said she could not readily speak because she was driving.