Scholar Rejects Gyamfi-Dapaah Scandal Comparisons, Warns of State Capture

University of Ghana law professor Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua has dismissed attempts to equate the Sammy Gyamfi dollar gift controversy with former sanitation minister Cecilia Dapaah’s corruption case, calling such comparisons “apples to bananas.”

Speaking on KeyPoints with Alfred Ocansey on May 17, he emphasized fundamental differences between the two scandals.

“In Dapaah’s case, money was physically found in her home, prompting an OSP investigation. Gyamfi’s incident involves a donation with unproven ties to malfeasance,” he stated. Appiagyei-Atua criticized claims that the Akufo-Addo administration would have handled the Gyamfi case impartially if roles were reversed: “We all know that is false, a disingenuous narrative to favor one party.”

The professor warned against conflating the cases without evidence, urging the NPP to avoid overextending its political defenses. He also accused the NPP of enabling “state capture,” alleging that party financiers influenced key decisions during their tenure. “Laws and policies were shaped by financiers, not public interest. The government wasn’t in control,” he claimed.

While acknowledging that elements of state capture persist under the current NDC government, Appiagyei-Atua stressed that no party should absolve itself by relativizing scandals. “The NPP cannot claim moral superiority here,” he asserted.

His remarks highlight tensions in Ghana’s political discourse, where corruption allegations are increasingly weaponized to deflect accountability. The debate underscores broader challenges in fostering transparent governance amid partisan rivalries.