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NDC’s Hanna Bisiw lifts lid on alleged rent fraud at minerals fund

26th April 2025 5:00:00 AM

3 mins read
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The Acting Administrator of the Minerals Development Fund, Dr Hanna Louisa Bisiw, has revealed what she describes as questionable financial dealings under the previous administration of the fund.

Speaking during an interview on Metro TV on April 24, 2025, Dr Bisiw disclosed that the fund paid a total of $1.4 million in rent for a small office space allegedly owned by one Kwabena Kufuor, who she said identified himself as a nephew of former President John Agyekum Kufuor.

“This is a fund that actually paid US$1.4 million for rent of the office… It's a cubicle, actually, and directors have their files on the floor. The one who rented it twice is called Kwabena Kufuor; he is President Kufuor's nephew… He told me himself when they came begging me. And I thought it belonged to us. Even though it's small, it's something we could have worked on,” she said.

According to Dr Bisiw, the initial rental agreement was for two years, starting in either 2020 or 2021, with a monthly rent of $10,000. She described the amount as inflated, saying similar or better office spaces in the same area go for about $6,500 monthly.

“Right now, when you check a prime area, better than where we are in that same environment, it is US$6,500 a month. So, it means that it was a rip-off,” she added.

She further revealed that upon taking office, she was informed that the same property had been leased for another 12 years, this time at $9,600 per month, with the entire amount fully paid upfront in cedis based on the dollar equivalent.

“When I came, and they said now they subleased it for 12 more years, and they quoted it in dollars. The payment was in cedi, so you have to pay the dollar equivalent. Why did they quote it in dollars? Because if they say, let's say $1 million, it means that if you are going to pay tomorrow, it has to be the cedi equivalent of that dollar,” she said.

“So, they paid them for 12 years, and when you calculate, it means that per month, it is $9,600 now, and they paid everything… $500,000 could have bought a land or a government property, and this was a government bungalow,” she added.

Dr Bisiw said she has decided not to use the office and is exploring legal channels to retrieve the funds.

She also alleged that Kwabena Kufuor later came to her office and attempted to offer her money to stop further investigations.

“When I told them that I was not going to use this place, and I would use every means possible to take it, this Kwabena Kufuor came to my office and put money on my table, and I asked him what that money was for. He told me it was commission… I took the money and reported the money,” she said.

Dr Bisiw said the man told her that if she accepted the offer, he would explain how the fund was being run on commission arrangements.

Watch the interview below:

Kwabena Kufuor, a nephew of former President John Agyekum Kufuor attempted to bribe me with $10,000 as a share of an inflated rent payment- Administrator of minerals development fund, Dr. Hanna Louisa Bisiw alleges#GoodAfternoonGhana #MetroTV pic.twitter.com/rnMjfAXn4x— Metro TV Ghana (@metrotvgh) April 24, 2025