Former Member of Parliament for Nabdam in the Upper East Region, Moses Asaga, has refuted allegations of impropriety regarding his acquisition of a property in Dubai.
These allegations were raised by the UK-based think tank, the Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), in a report titled “How Dirty Money Finds a Home in Dubai Real Estate,” published on May 14, 2024.
The OCCRP report implicated several former appointees of the Mahama administration, including Asaga and Iusah Fuseini, suggesting that they had acquired Dubai real estate worth millions of dollars during their tenure.
The report also highlighted Dubai’s reputation for financial secrecy, which it suggested has made the city a haven for questionable funds.
In response, Mr Asaga, speaking to Accra-based Citi FM, dismissed the allegations as politically motivated. He defended his acquisition of the property, stating that it was legally purchased and within his financial means.
Mr Asaga, who has held various roles at Ecobank, GNPC, and served as Deputy Minister of Finance and Minister for Employment, challenged the narrative of wrongdoing.
“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,” Asaga asserted.
He emphasized that his career, spanning over 30 years, provided him with the means to afford such an investment. “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?” he questioned.
Mr Asaga further drew comparisons with the real estate market in Ghana, where new apartments sell for over $200,000 and luxury residences in areas like Trassaco can fetch between $1 million and $5 million.
“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 pointed out.