Wikileaks: Ex-Minster’s Girlfriend Fingered

By Larry-Alans Dogbey

The leaked United States Embassy confidential documents on the activities of the drug barons and couriers have mentioned that the previous government had an inexperienced man, Ben Botwe, as head of the Narcotic Control Board, but what was unknown was that an equally inexperienced lady was also put in-charge of the much respected VVIP Lounge.

One of the reports said about Mr. Botwe; “More worrisome, according to our Political Assistance Locally Engaged Staff, Botwe had a reputation at the Food and Drugs Board for being amenable to influence.” BRIDGEWATER”.

The ‘VVIP’ (Very Very Important Person) Lounge is a high security zone and a place reserved to be managed by a senior officer of the Ghana Armed Forces with the rank of a Colonel.

However, under the Kufuor administration, a 28-year –old novice by name Sheila Akua Sackey, a lady romantically linked to the ex-Chief of Staff and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Kwadwo O. Mpiani, was put in-charge of that section of the airport. And it became an “Ashawo Lane” with all manner of things going in and out of the place.

Both the US Embassy in Accra and the current boss of the NACOB, Mr. Yaw Akrasi-Sarpong, were quoted in the leaked diplomatic secret documents as saying that the VVIP Lounge of the airport was one of the places where with the collaboration of top state officials, loads of narcotic drugs left the shores of Ghana.

Mr. Akrasi-Sarpong told the US agents that “drugs are smuggled out of the airport through the ‘VVIP’ Lounge. Sarpong said that in the previous administration, Ghanaians with a contact in the Foreign Ministry could obtain a pass to the lounge from the State Protocol Office that entitled the traveler to be driven from the lounge to the plane in a protocol vehicle without their person or luggage undergoing security screening.

“He commented that bank managers, pastors, and their wives were given service passports and access to the lounge, and questioned why these middle-class travelers were awarded privileges traditionally reserved for cabinet ministers,” the leaked document sent to the State Department by Charge d’ Affaires of the US mission in Ghana, Julie Furuta-Toy, said.

The new NACOB boss was further said to have outlined ways in which drugs are smuggled out of Accra airport, and in addition to the individual “mules” who ingest small quantities of drugs or conceal the drugs in luggage or body cavities, airport workers have been arrested for passing drugs to travelers after they have completed security formalities.

To prevent the use of ‘VVIP’ Lounge for smuggling narcotic drugs, the Mills-led government has since revoked 375 diplomatic passports issued by the previous regime to all manner of persons who are not state officials but were allowed to use theVVIP Lounge by virtue of they holding diplomatic passports.

Until mid- last year, Ms. Sheila Sackey, a young lady who graduated from The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi in 2001, with a Second Class Lower, was the untouchable goddess at State Protocol Department, responsible for the President’s Estate as Controller –Household, including the ‘VVIP’ Lounge, which the NACOB boss has mentioned lot of drug barons went through.

She was an officer of the National Security Secretariat- Castle Annex, but placed at the Department of State Protocol where she was also in-charge of the State Banquet Hall, the Independent Square, the Castle, Peduase Lodge, the Australian House and all other Safe Houses under the Presidency.

But Sheila’s run to power and her reign of terror is in sharp contrast to her background, confirming widespread claims that she drew her powers from powerful people at the Office of The President during the Kufuor era, including the then Chief of Staff, and a string of Ministers whose patronage catapulted her to the heights she never imagined.

From a very humble beginning, Sheila Sackey, an overnight billionaire sensation at the Office of the Ex-President, helped mum sell craft anytime she returned from school.

Daddy, Brigadier-General Robert O. Sackey (Rtd), Commander of the Ghana Armed Forces Military Academy, gave her a lifeline by lobbying for her to do her National Service at the Ministry of Defence.

Luck shined on her twice, as she was noticed by the son of the then National Security capo who was charmed by her looks and almost married her.

She secured a job with National Security. Soon after that she got the biggest position, Controller –Household, responsible for the President’s Estate, a position which hitherto was reserved for experienced Colonels of the Ghana Armed Forces.

Sheila thus became the youngest and the first woman to occupy that position.

It was gathered that so perverse was Ms. Sheila’s attitude that lots of big men, including the Chief Director at the Castle, one Mr. Tuose, had to stand aside to avoid her wrath which might cause them their jobs.

It was the same Ms. Sackey who, while still working at the Castle, together with her father, managed to pay a whopping ¢2.2 billion for two plots of Ga lands dished out to them at Cantonments by the previous NPP government.

This reporter learnt of several complaints made to the “Omnipotent” Mr. Mpiani on the conduct of “Ms. Sheila” but most of the complaints went unattended as their social connections stood in the way of discipline.

The ex-Chief of Staff is reported to have exhibited such extraordinary weakness with her that sometimes when complaints are lodged, the beautiful young lady was called and given the name of the people who made the complaints.

For this reason, the sexy young lady ( “Ms. Sheila”) defied every laid down procedure in the management of the properties under the Presidency, and billions collected from the patrons of the State Banquet Hall and the Independent Square, in Accra, are believed to have been poorly accounted for and not traceable to the national coffers where it was supposed to be lodged.

In many instances, patrons of places such as the Banquet Hall said that they were not issued with Official receipts for using the hall.

Ordinary pieces of papers designed by the Secretary to “Ms. Sheila”, at her instance, became the official receipts from the State Protocol, when the Banquet Hall and the Independent Square were hired for activities.

Patrons who paid ¢50 million and ¢15 million per day for using the two venues were asked to pay with a Bank Draft in the name of the Chief of Staff, without any account number into which the monies should be paid.

The monies should have been paid into the Consolidated Fund but that did not happen under Mr. Mpiani’s eyes due to their passionate social connections.

Again, to the shock of many officers at the State Protocol, “Ms. Sheila” who also managed the famous Australia House, and without authorization, embarked upon huge renovation work on the State House although it had no defect.

At the time she was given the boot, work was still ongoing by a company owned by the NPP Member of Parliament, Mr. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, whose engagement raised questions.

Ms. Sackey has also been mentioned in connection with the renovation of Peduase Lodge in the Eastern Region; one of the estates, including the Jubilee House, Castle and a number of guest houses under the Presidency.

The once powerful “Ms. Sheila,” was said to have been awarded a contract to renovate the State Banquet Hall, at a cost of ¢18 billion for the Ghana@50anniversary, ostensibly by Mr. Mpiani, who chaired the Ghana@50Secretariat.

A probe which this reporter learnt was to be ordered sometime last year by the National Security into her tenure and the various sums which she collected on behalf of the state, never saw the light of day.

And the information available to The Herald is that she is now at the Ghana School of Law.