Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Dr Hannah Louisa Bissiw has denied building two mansions at her hometown, Techimantia in the Tano South Constituency of the Brong Ahafo region.
Dr Bissiw describes the Daily Searchlight publication as a pack of lies cooked up by the paper’s Managing Editor, Ken Kurankye, with the objective of soiling her name and cowing her into silence. The paper claims Dr Bissiw is adding finishing touches on what it describes as a ‘multi-bedroom double mansion.’
The paper says work on the two alleged mansions started in July 2009, and have been completed with people living in them. It also alleges that the project was supervised by the NDC’s Tano South Constituency Youth Organizer who also acts as the Personal Assistant to the Deputy Minister whenever she visits her hometown.
The story also claims the alleged mansions have blue roofing tiles, wooden panel ceiling and tiled floors. It says the fully-walled mansions, situated on the outskirts of Techimantia sit on a two-plot land and have been secured by a ‘nicely designed iron gate’.
Dr. Hannah Bissiw, who is reported by the same newspaper to have said that she had no explanation to offer to Ghanaians, told Citi News exclusively, that the publication is part of a grand and concerted conspiracy being waged against her by pro-opposition journalists and newspapers. “They should come and show me the two storey-buildings and I will take one of them and give one of them out because I will not need two storey-buildings in the same place. And may be those who build houses should let us know whether from July one can build two-storey buildings” she said.
According to the Deputy Minister, her secretary received a call from a Daily Searchlight reporter who wanted to know what stage her building project had reached. She said her Secretary did not cooperate because she could not cross check the identity of the caller.
“Then the next day I heard this story that I had grabbed two mansions in my hometown. People like Ken Kurankye and his cahoots sell me. They sell lies, they breath and live, taste and walk lies so that’s what they live on. May be if he had not written that story, he couldn’t have sold his newspaper that day. So I am glad that Hannah Bissiw can feed him and his cahoots as well as that reporter who did it. I have received so many calls from my hometown and they are saying that the person should come and show them the house because some of them are interested in living in storey-buildings” she said.
Dr. Bissiw advised Ken Kurankye and anybody else to look elsewhere if they are seeking to expose corrupt politicians. “We have too much to work for. If they think that these are some of the things they are going to do to silence some of us, they should not waste their time. But if what they are doing is to enable them sell their newspapers to get some food to eat and not go bankrupt, then it’s ok. He has done it to the President and so many other Ministers” she said.
The Deputy Minister vowed never to grant an interview to the Daily Searchlight.