Former Defence Minister, Albert Kan-Dapaah says he is not the only former minister of state to have left his official bungalow intact upon leaving office. He said many appointees in the Kufuor government left their residences in pretty good shape contrary to widespread allegations that they looted their bungalows. Mr. Kan-Dapaah was speaking to Joy FM’s Super Morning Show host Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah following a publication by The Insight that he left his residence and its furnishings in excellent condition, as against suggestions that many others had looted their residences. The reports said the former Defence Minister even left his personal belongings bought while in office in the bungalow. “I don’t really believe that is the exception. I think you will find, if somebody was to undertake any investigation, that that was what most of the ex-ministers did,” Mr. Kan-Dapaah said. He said if the former government appointees that have been accused of bolting with their official furnishings had been contacted, they would have demonstrated that there was no wrong doing on their part. According to him, some of the things he bought were specifically for that house and so he did not see the need to take them away even though he personally bought them. He however explained that some of his colleagues were allotted bungalows in which there were no gas cookers, efficient air-conditioners, fridges and other necessities. So they had to buy those things themselves and were entitled to take them away once they were leaving. Mr. Kan-Dapaah said it was therefore misleading and unfortunate for anybody to assume that those items were stolen by the ex-ministers simply because there were traces of removed items. For him, if proper inventory had been done, the authorities would have realised that the items in question were bought personally by those involved and should not have unjustifiably been vilified. He also explained that some of the former appointees had difficulties getting officers from the Public Works Department to come take inventory before they left. And since they did not want to violate the deadline given them by the new administration to vacate the buildings, they had to leave. The issue of looting state bungalows by ex-ministers has dominated the news for some considerable time. Works and Housing Minister, Albert Abongo told Joy FM out of many bungallows he visited in the company of other officials and mediamen, it was only the bungalow occupied by late Finance Minister, Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu that was intact. He said the rest of the bungalows had “varying degrees of incompleteness”. Story by Malik Abass Daabu/Myjoyonline.com