Collins Dauda reacts to charges against him for ‘causing financial loss to state’

• Out of the 52 charges, 14 have been levelled against him for causing financial loss to the state

• The accused persons are said to have intentionally misapplied $200 million of state funds 

Former Chief Director of the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Highways, Collins Dauda, has reacted to the government’s charges against him and four others for causing financial loss to the state over the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project.

He stated categorically that, the said $200 million was presented to the Ministry of Finance and not him as a person.

Collins Dauda explained that the Housing Ministry only supervised the project.

He added that there are proofs (certificates) to show that contractors worked on the project.

Speaking on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem, on Monday, August 2, 2021, he labelled persons who accused him of receiving cash for the Affordable Housing Project as liars.

Mr Dauda said, “That $200 million was not given to Collins Dauda. Anyone who tells you that money was given to Mr Dauda is a liar. That money was presented to the Ministry of Finance and the Housing Ministry only supervised the project.

“The only job the Works and Housing Ministry did was to get a recommendation letter for the contractor to be paid, and that was even after the government’s consultant for the project, is satisfied with the work, then a certificate will be generated to the government to facilitate payment…So the money could not have been given to Collins Dauda personally,” he added.

Background

The government of Ghana has filed 52 charges of willfully causing financial loss to the state against two former ministers, a former Chief Director of the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Highway, a contractor and a consultant.

Of the 52 charges, 14 have been levelled against Alhaji Dauda who currently is the Member of Parliament for Asutifi South.

In the charge sheet sighted by GhanaWeb, the Attorney General argues that the contractor that executed the project was paid $179 million for doing a $68 m worth of work.