A former Member of Parliament for Nabdam in the Upper East Region, Moses Asaga, has refuted allegations of owning illicitly acquired properties in Dubai.
These allegations emerged from a report by the UK-based think tank, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).
The report implicated several former appointees of the Mahama administration, including Asaga, Inusah Fuseini, and others, suggesting they had accumulated Dubai real estate worth millions of dollars during their time in office.
Titled “How Dirty Money Finds a Home in Dubai Real Estate,” the OCCRP report, published on May 14, 2024, pointed to Dubai’s reputation for financial secrecy, portraying it as a haven for funds from questionable sources.
In response to these claims, the former Nabdam MP told Citi News that the accusations are politically motivated.
He questioned why his investments were being scrutinized and emphasized that his long career, including significant roles at Ecobank, GNPC, and as a Deputy Minister of Finance and Minister for Employment, justifies his ability to invest $133,000 in such properties.
Asaga countered the allegations by highlighting property prices in Ghana, where new apartments sell for over $200,000 and luxury residences in Trassaco range between $1 million and $5 million.
“I thought I had done something criminal and corrupt worth investigating. $133, 000, shouldn’t I be able to own such an investment? What are the prices of Trasaco properties $1m- $3m who are staying there? Is it not politicians and majority NPP functionaries? Has the OCCRP gone to put a story on them? This is a political machination.
“So, they think for my 30-year working life I should not have an investment of that paltry amount. Before politics, I worked with Ecobank, and GNPC and was Deputy Minister of Finance, Minister for Employment, and CEO of NPA. I could not afford an investment of $133,000 for a student one-bedroom apartment. What is the crime and corruption involved in this?
“In Ghana, new apartments are being sold for $200,000 plus, and Trasaco is $1m–$5m. Who stays in them is [it] not bankers, CEOs of GNPC, COCOBOD, BOST, and politicians,” he quizzed.