Over the past few days, Minister of National Security, Albert Kan-Dapaah, has been the biggest topic for discussion in Ghana.
For the wrong reasons, the 66-year-old politician has headlined newspapers with a majority of broadcasts focusing on leaked video that showed the Minister dancing to the whims and caprices of a young lady in a video call.
In the hangover of Christmas and New Year festivities, the scandal could hand over the minister to be hanged – politically.
Theghanareport.com brings you six of the controversies involving Mr. Kan-Dapaah.
1. Minister of National Security appointment
Mr. Kan-Dapaah was one of the early batches of appointments by President Nana Akufo-Addo who on January 10, 2017, nominated him the head of the newly-created Ministry of National Security.
Check the date of that nomination. The Minister is marking three years of his nomination with another controversy.
His nomination angered large sections of a newly triumphant NPP grassroots election machine.
For the red army of NPP footsoldiers, Kan Dapaah hardly stepped foot into the trenches of the 2016 campaign. His nomination, they said, was politically unmerited.
But fresh from an emotionally draining campaign, perhaps it was too early to rock the boat of the new government and so the murmurs could only simmer.
But a much louder murmuring was by far less partisan actors. It was good governance analysts and civil society actors who felt his appointment was an over-duplication of functions.
What could be the sense in having a Defence Minister, National Security Coordinator, a National Security Advisor, a National Security Minister and the President was not finished…
There is also a Minister of State in charge of National Security. Five security-related appointments in a cacophonous crisscrossing of roles and responsibilities.
And it would play out much later in the Akufo-Addo government.
2. Sale of Ghana’s Discoverer 511 drillship
During the vetting of Mr. Kan-Dapaah before he was sworn into office, it emerged that a reference has been made about him during a judgment debt hearing by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Adansi Asokwa, Mr. K. T. Hammond, that a committee was set up by Mr. Kan-Dapaah to sell a Ghana drillship.
The Ghana National Petroleum Company (GNPC) drillship, Discoverer 511, was sold to pay off a $19.5 million judgment debt owed to French multinational bank, Societe General.
But some $3.5 million from the sale meant to be paid into government chest could not be traced.
Mr. Kan-Dapaah, however, explained to the vetting panel that a committee was indeed set up but its purpose was to enter into negotiations with Societe General which the government owed.
Mr. Kan-Dapaah said that the committee’s purpose was defeated as the company obtained a judgment and was not willing to enter into any negotiations.
3. Ayawaso West Wuogon violence
There is a damning report by the Ayawaso West Wuogon Commission tasked to investigate electoral violence by-election held on January 31, 2019, in the Greater Accra Region.
The poll was marked by violence at the La-Bawaleshie polling station a few hours after the election started. A sitting MP was slapped by a National Security Operative, gunshots were fired injuring 18 persons.
The Emile Short Commission was unimpressed with the National Security Minister’s handling of the controversy.
There was some indication that militias associated with the New Patriotic Party were recruited for National Security purposes to execute an ‘Ayawaso-West Wuogon by-election job’ to counter advances made by militias associated with the opposition National Democratic Congress.
Kan-Dapaah’s leadership was questioned.
4. Turf war: Kan-Dapaah vrs Bryan Acheampong
The Emile Short Commission recommended in its report that the Akufo-Addo government must reorganize the National Security Ministry with a clear chain of authority as it appeared that parallel commands were being issued by Minister of National Security, Albert Kan-Dapaah, on one hand, and Minister of State in Charge of National Security at the Presidency, Bryan Acheampong, on the other hand.
“The Commission recommends that the President (Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo) should review and restructure the Ministry of National Security to ensure clarity of responsibilities and roles as well as lines of reporting,” the Commissioned advised.
It also proposed a clear definition of the role of the Minister of State in Charge of National Security at the Presidency attached under the Minister of National Security.
“This should establish a clear chain of command and the circumstances under which he or she can act in the absence of the substantive Minister,” the report clearly stated.
The issuance of opposing commands by Mr. Kan-Dapaah and Mr. Acheampong is confirmed by reliable sources of the theghanareport.com.
It is also no secret that there is a rift between the two security heads in a who-is-who tussle that is showing no signs of going away.
And with suggestions that the latest scandal is an insider job, the rift won’t go away any swiftly.
5. Alleged unlawful detention and torture of Modern Ghana reporters
The National Security Minister was also lampooned over a raid on the offices of a news portal ModernGhana on June 27, 2019.
Two of their staff – Emmanuel Ajarfor Abugri and Emmanuel Yeboah Britwum, were hooded in black polythene bags and whisked to an undisclosed location.
Mr Abugri provided a detailed account of torture including the use of electric shock. But Britwum says he was not tortured.
Medical report on Modern Ghana editor: No evidence of torture
Although National Security claimed the two were engaging in cybercrimes, Mr Abugri said that while in detention there was no question related to the alleged crime.
His brutal interrogation was about the publication of two articles.
One of the articles related to a protracted conflict at the University of Education, Winneba. The website published a story on National Security Minister, Albert Kan Dapaah and governing New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Member of Parliament for Effutu constituency, Alexander Afenyo-Markin.
Emmanuel Abugri explained, he received the articles under the name that included ‘Constance’ and published after it met their editorial policy.
The two were later released.
6. Leaked tape with ‘side chic’
On Sunday, January 12, 2019, Ghanaians woke up to the news of a leaked video that allegedly captures Mr. Kan-Dapaah in an amorous conversation with a lady.
Mr Kan-Dapaah was seen in the video modeling in pyjamas under the command of the lady while revealing timelines of his itinerary.
The face of the lady was not captured in the video but the conversation continued to till the point the married minister signed off telling the lady “I love you”.
The focus of the controversy is the vulnerability of the country’s security and intelligence-gathering services if the Minister could appear overawed by the object of his amorous desires.
And calls for his resignation are second nature to controversies such as this.
Security expert Adam Bonaa summed it up by indicating that the minister should have known better and exercised better judgment.
“If I were him, it would have been prudent to resign by now. It’s taking too long, we haven’t heard anything,” Mr. Bonaa told Francis Abban on the Morning Starr Monday.
He added: “These are things even a Junior High School student would have detected and won’t allow happening so it’s very disturbing. The international community is watching”.
Meanwhile, Questions are beginning to be asked by well-wishers about the possible existence of a cabal behind Kan Dapaah’s perils who are working underground and will stop at nothing until he is sacked by the President.
Could the sun be setting on the veteran politician’s career that began in 1992 when he became a three-term MP for Afigya-Sekyere and a four-time Minister including his current portfolio?
Some members across political divides have described him as a fine gentleman, but critics have also described him as a weak leader who must be removed from office.
Theghanareport.com will bring you more revelation on “The Honorable Kan Dapaah’s diary of controversies” as it unfolds.
Stay on theghanareport.com on who may just be responsible for what?…..
Sad story