Who Is Cecilia Dapaah? A Biography of the Ex-Minister at the Center of Ghana’s $1M Scandal
Cecilia Abena Dapaah is a Ghanaian politician and member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). She has held many important government positions, such as Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Minister for Aviation, and Member of Parliament for the Bantama constituency.

Cecilia Abena Dapaah is a Ghanaian politician and member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). She has held many important government positions, such as Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Minister for Aviation, and Member of Parliament for the Bantama constituency.
Early Life and Education
Dapaah was born on November 27, 1954, in Mpasatia, Ashanti Region. He went on to get a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and Linguistics from the University of Ghana in 1979. She got a certificate in leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School and a postgraduate certificate in international development studies from the University of Oslo to continue her studies.
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Career in Politics
Dapaah's political career began when he worked as a development worker and special assistant to President John Kufuor. In 2001, she became chairperson of the Board of Ghana Cocoa Processing Company. Later, she was Deputy Minister for Water Resources, Works, and Housing.
She was elected to the Bantama constituency as a Member of Parliament in 2005 and served until 2013. She worked on several parliamentary committees while she was in office, such as Works and Housing, Employment, Social Welfare and Youth, Foreign Affairs, and Special Budget.
President Nana Akufo-Addo named Dapaah Minister for Aviation in 2017. She pushed for the revival of a national airline to help Ghana's aviation industry grow. She became Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources in 2018, where she worked to improve the infrastructure for sanitation and the management of water resources.
Controversy and Resignation
In July 2023, there was a scandal involving Dapaah when it was reported that two of her house helpers stole a lot of money from her house, including $1 million, €300,000, and millions of Ghanaian cedis. The event made people worried about where the money came from and how it was kept. Dapaah stepped down as minister on July 22, 2023, after a lot of public outcry and political pressure. She said she did it to keep the issue from getting in the way of the government's work.
After that, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) arrested Dapaah and questioned him about possible corruption and other crimes. Investigations found more strange financial activities, such as $5 million and GH¢48 million in her bank accounts. The case got the attention of international organizations. The FBI worked with the OSP because the alleged financial transactions crossed borders.
Personal Life
Cecilia Dapaah is married and has a child. She goes to the Methodist Church.
Dapaah's career shows a mix of dedicated public service and the difficulties of political life. It ended with a high-profile scandal that shows how important it is for government to be open and accountable.