General Manager of Citi TV and Citi 97.3 FM, Bernard Avle, has chided President Akufo-Addo over his response to the resignation letter of former Sanitation and Water Resource Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah.

He said the President’s tone in the purported response to the former Minister’s resignation letter was not suitable given the gravity of the situation.

“I’m a bit worried about the speed the purported response from the President seeks to exonerate the Minister and almost pigeonholing her resignation around loyalty to the government and the government image, is that what this is about; that it’s about whether someone’s image is good or bad? What signal are we sending to citizens in terms of profligacy?” he questioned.

He further noted that: “the letter the President wrote purportedly in response to the resignation, I think the tone is not sensitive to the feelings of Ghanaians at all. At least the President could have accepted the letter and said, ‘Well thank you for your service’ [and] the other point is that there hasn’t been any formal process of investigation or anything.”

His comment comes on the back of the resignation of the Sanitation Minister following a theft case involving two househelps of the Minister, and the President’s subsequent response.

Five individuals are facing charges for their alleged involvement in stealing millions of dollars and euros from the minister’s house at Abelemkpe, a suburb of Accra.

Following this, she resigned on July 23, 2023, explaining that it was to prevent the matter from becoming a preoccupation of government and a hindrance to the work of government at such a crucial time.

Despite the assurance of availing herself for investigations, she has come under heavy scrutiny.

Commenting on the development, Mr Avle urged the state to take up this matter and ensure it is thoroughly investigated, and eschew any form of politicisation from the investigations.

“Let’s not politicise it with claims that it will make the government look bad. Already, you [the government] are smelling bad. If we are serious about this let’s not politicise it,” he added.