The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has appointed former Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, as Chairperson of its National Vetting Committee for the party’s upcoming National Executive Elections, in a move that could be seen as an attempt to politically rehabilitate her after the controversy that led to her resignation from the Akufo-Addo government.
After years of relative political obscurity, Madam Dapaah has now been brought back to play a frontline role in the opposition party, following her appointment by the NPP’s National Elections Committee on August 11, 2026, as part of arrangements for the elections.
According to the party, the nine-member Vetting Committee will be responsible for assessing all aspirants seeking to contest the National Executive Elections.
The committee includes former Education Minister and, until recently, Ghana’s High Commissioner to the UK, Papa Owusu-Ankomah; former Northern Regional Minister Salifu Saeed; Ambassador (Dr) Barffour Agyei-Bawuah; Elizabeth Ohene; Osei Prempeh; Joyce Opoku Boateng; and Arnold Boateng, with Evans Nimako serving as Secretary.
Madam Dapaah’s appointment comes despite the controversy that followed investigations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in 2023 into large sums of money and other valuables linked to her and her husband.
She was effectively ostracized by the NPP following the controversy, with many party members, particularly communicators, criticizing her and alleging that she was stingy. They argued that this made it difficult to mount the same spirited defense for her that had been offered to other party members currently facing criminal charges or investigations over alleged infractions of the law.
The OSP arrested Madam Dapaah in July 2023 in connection with suspected corruption and corruption-related offenses. It later reported that searches of properties associated with her had uncovered US$590,000 and GH¢2.73 million.
However, in January 2024, the OSP discontinued its investigation and referred the case to the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), stating that the matter was largely within the remit of suspected money laundering and structuring.
The OSP also discontinued a procedural criminal charge against Madam Dapaah relating to the non-return of property and income declaration forms.
Under the NPP’s latest arrangements, the committee chaired by Madam Dapaah will be responsible for determining whether aspirants meet the requirements to contest the various national executive positions.
The party states that “the National Vetting Committee shall be responsible for the vetting of all aspirants”. It adds that the committee “shall recommend the disqualification of any aspirant where it determines that the aspirant does not satisfy the eligibility requirements for election as a National Officer”.
Vetting is scheduled to take place from August 31 to September 3, 2026, with the results expected to be published on September 5. Appeals will follow from September 6 to 7.
The NPP has scheduled its National Executive Elections for October 3, 2026, with the Electoral Commission expected to conduct the elections under the supervision of the party’s National Elections Committee.
