Authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), are on a manhunt for a Ghanaian businessman, Kennedy Agyapong, for allegedly defrauding an agency that recruits maid servants.
Agyapong, who unlawfully took two Ghanaians to Dubai to work as maidservants can no longer be found after he was declared wanted by the police in Dubai.
This came to light at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) sitting on Tuesday.
It emerged that management in August 2015 paid an amount of AED 2,075 on behalf of two stranded Ghanaians who were recruited from Ghana to the Emirates to serve as house maids.
The Ghana mission in Dubai spent over AED 2,000 Dirham on the stranded Ghanaians but has received only AED 1,000 Dirham in repayment.
It was further observed that one Mr. Kennedy Agyapong the brother of the stranded Ghanaian allegedly brought the ladies to be sold as maids. He was however later declared wanted by the Dubai Police for defrauding the maid services agency.
Management upon request for refund, received an amount of AED 1,000 on April 1, 2016 from Mr. Agyapong as part payment leaving AED 1, 1075 outstanding.
But speaking at the committee sitting, Bismark Amoako, Director of Finance at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the said gentleman was on the run.
“The man cannot be traced in Dubai, unfortunately. But the general thing is that we do have these incidents every now and then where the missions are called upon to discharge since they are Ghanaian citizens. But in this case if you look at the outstanding balance, in USD terms [of] 292, we’ve scourged the whole of Dubai and can’t find him to come to come refund that amount”, he stated.
PAC Sitting
The Public Accounts Committee of Parliament on Monday August 13, 2018 commenced sitting to look into the Auditor General’s Report on activities of state institutions for the year 2016.
The Committee is considering reports on the Consolidated Fund as well as that of some Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs.
The Committee is sitting for a week.
The Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, James Klutse Avedzi, told Citi News members will also check compliance of earlier directives to institutions who in previous reports had been cited for various infractions.
“We expect that the Ministries will appear and respond favourably for having taken action on those infractions cited in the report of the Auditor General. Those that no actions have been taken, then the committee will then consider and recommend punishment as prescribed by law,” he said.
Financial mismanagement from MMDAs
In February 2018, various state institutions incurred the wrath of the Committee for blatantly flouting the country’s financial regulations.
Members of the PAC raised serious concerns about the continuous mismanagement of resources disbursed to state institutions particularly the Regional Coordinating Councils, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.