Eric Opoku defends Collins Dauda on Saglemi housing project August 3, 2021 37
A total of 52 counts have been brought against Mr. Dauda and some four other persons.
The MP for Asunafo South, Hon. Eric Opoku has dispelled allegations leveled against the former Minister for Works and Housing, Collins Dauda over misappropriating funds in the Saglemi Housing project.
According to Mr. Opoku, the former minister did not change aspects of the deal as it was presented to him, and no less without proper recourse to Parliament. He told Accra-based Citi News that Mr. Dauda stayed true to the details of the contract.
Mr. Dauda has been accused of causing financial loss to the state and altering the initial agreement approved by Parliament for the Saglemi housing project on his own volition.
A total of 52 counts have been brought against Mr. Dauda and some four other persons.
However, Mr. Opoku indicated that the only change made in the execution of the project was a shift from four phases to three, a move that did not require ratification or approval from Parliament.
He further noted that Mr. Dauda had no qualms with being called to account for his stewardship, if only it wouldn’t be an opportunity to skew the facts to advance ill intents.
“If he is being called for his stewardship, he has no problem at all, except that he is worried about the fact that the whole matter has been twisted for the sake of propaganda.”
“He has not been served [with the writ yet]. He has not been given the opportunity to respond to the issues.”
Background
The Government has cited Mr. Dauda over claims that it misapplied $200 million belonging to the state. This amount is said to have been misappropriated between February 2014 and December 2016, “by causing the said amount which had been approved by the Parliament of Ghana for the construction of 5,000 housing units to be applied towards the payment of 1,412 housing units under the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project.”
Four other persons who worked at the Ministry of Works and Housing during the Mahama administration have also been sued. They include Kwaku Agyeman-Mensah, Alhaji Ziblim Yakubu, Andrew Clocanas, and Nouvi Tetteh Angelo.
