Spokesperson for Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has questioned the basis of allegations involving GH¢55 million by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) against a member of the communications team of the NPP, Dennis Edward Aboagye, popularly known as Miracles.

According to Dr Ekua Amoakoh, the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation (IMCCoD), where Mr Aboagye served as Executive Director, did not have the financial capacity to handle or lose such an amount.

Speaking in an interview on JoyNews' The Pulse on Wednesday, July 15, Dr Amoakoh said IMCCoD was not a fully-fledged government agency with a budget running into tens of millions of cedis.

"If you are familiar with the operations of the IMCCoD, you know that it’s not like a complete government agency. It’s not like he was the CEO of a complete government agency that would have a budget to the tune of GH¢55 million. That’s the first red flag.

"The IMCCoD did not even have enough money for someone to be able to take GH¢55 million out of the IMCCoD and still be able to pay their staff," Dr Amoakoh stated.

She said the committee only began receiving improved management attention after the previous administration left office, allowing it to pay staff and run multiple programmes.

Dr Amoakoh further stated that "at no point during the interrogation were they questioned on anything to the tune of GH¢55 million. At no point were they charged with GH¢55 million questions, that is," he said.

She called for clarity from EOCO on the specific allegations against Mr Aboagye, insisting that investigations and prosecutions must be based on facts and evidence.

She also criticised the manner in which some investigations are conducted, citing the search of Mr Aboagye’s residence where images were allegedly taken and circulated online.

According to him, such actions risk damaging the reputation of individuals who remain innocent until proven guilty.

"Somebody who is innocent until proven guilty, you go to their property for a search and pictures are taken and leaked online. Is that how we conduct investigations in this country?" she questioned.

Dr Amoakoh further argued that similar situations could affect anyone if due process is not respected, stressing the need for investigations to be conducted with professionalism and fairness.

She maintained that authorities must provide clarity on the allegations against Mr Aboagye and ensure that investigations are guided by evidence rather than public perception.

Her comment follows EOCO's arrest of Mr Aboagye in connection with investigations into the alleged misappropriation of about GH¢55 million at the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation (IMCCoD) Secretariat.

The arrest, according to EOCO, followed months of investigations into alleged financial and procurement-related irregularities at the Secretariat and also involves the former Accountant of IMCCoD, Gerald Appiah, who is under investigation over the same matter.

A statement issued by EOCO dated July 13 said the investigations stemmed from a petition submitted by the current Executive Secretary of IMCCoD requesting further investigations into a forensic audit covering the period between August 1, 2022, and February 2, 2025.

It said the investigations, which commenced last year after an initial forensic audit, centred on the suspected misappropriation, misapplication, diversion and theft of public funds amounting to about GH¢55 million.

EOCO said Mr Aboagye, Mr Appiah and other persons were being investigated for conspiracy to steal, stealing, using public office for profit, causing financial loss to the state, dissipation of public funds, defrauding by false pretences, money laundering and other suspected offences.