General News of Monday, 17 December 2018
Source: www.ghanaweb.live
2018-12-17Cecilia Dapaah gives Sampson Ahi, others 48hrs to apologise over GHC151,000 allowance claim
play videoSanitation Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah
Sanitation Minister Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah has refuted allegations levelled against her by Former Deputy Minister for Water Resources Works and Housing, Sampson Ahi, claiming her ministry has been awarded an amount of GHC151,000 for clothing and entertainment.
"I Cecilia Abena Dapaah, Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, am not in any way and by any stretch of
Read full articleimagination benefiting or getting any budget allocation for clothes and entertainment as MP for Bodi, Hon Sampson Ahi, alleges" She said.
She is subsequently, calling on Mr Ahi to apologise within 48 hours for the erroneous allegations meted against her. She is also admonishing media houses who featured the publications on their platforms to do same or incur a law suit.
“I ask Hon. Ahi to apologise and withdraw within 48 hours with the same publicity that the defamatory remarks were published. And that any media outlet, including the Herald Newspaper and GhanaWeb must also take a cue and apologise within the same time frame else the necessary legal steps will be taken.”
Samson Ahi was quoted as having said; “When I was there (Works and Housing Ministry), I was never given a clothing and entertainment allowance. Recruitment into the security is about GHC 81,000. Watchman allowance GHC36,000. Clothing allowance GHC 18,000 and another entertainment allowance GHC 16,000. They are duplicating the expenses” he stated.
“We are giving money to the Minister [Cecilia Dapaah] and the Ministers entertainment allowance, we have watchman allowance and you have extra watchman allowance, as if that person who’s engaged as watchman is going to engage another person, we have clothing allowance and so on and so forth,” Mr. Ahi, lamented.
Speaking to the press Monday however, Madam Dapaah described the allegations as misplaced, defamatory and meant to discredit and tarnish her reputation. She revealed that the malicious attempts by the former Deputy Minister, Samson Ahi caused her family and herself, among other things, pain and emotional distress.
“His allegations are misplaced, a set of wicked lies, malicious, defamatory and propaganda meant to attack my hard won reputation and integrity. This has caused me and my family pain and embarrassment as well as emotional distress. The allegation has also affected the image of the Ministry.”
The ministry noted that the budget was approved by the Fair Wages and Salary Commission solely for directors of the ministry and not for the Minister, Mrs Cecilia Dapaah as suggested.
“I wish to draw the attention of Hon. Ahi to the fact that the allowances he was referring to were officially approved by the Fair Wages and Salary Commission and communicated to all MDAs by the Ministry of Finance.
“The benefits include fuel, vehicle, housing or accommodations utilities, entertainment and security which are paid to all Directors and Chief Directors, Departments and Agencies and are not peculiar to only the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources.”
Madam Cecilia Dapaah hinted that, since her arrival as Sanitation Minister, she has never stayed in a government bungalow or benefited from any government allowance.
