Minister-designate for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Madam Otiko Afisa Djaba has rebuff attempts by some members of the vetting committee to impress on her to apologize to former President John Dramani Mahama for comments she made a couple of months ago.
Madam Afisah Djaba was emphatic to the committee that she owes the former president no apology when she was referred to what Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyin, MP for Tamale North constituency labeled as “unfortunate and unpalatable” statement made against the former president.
The nominee is reported to have made some scathing comments about former President Mahama in the line up to the 2016 general elections.
The polyglot minister-designate was quoted to have said “President Mahama's time is up...President Mahama is extremely wicked and so he must step down...He has the heart of the devil. We need change, we need someone is passionate about this country. You have to vote massively for Nana Akufo Addo. We need change this year. Your time is up President Mahama,”
“…You have to step down this year so Nana Addo can take over the management of this country,'' She told a teeming crowd of NPP supporters during the campaign season last year.
But Madam Otiko, who is related to the former president, said her comments were made without any malice intended.
Asked if she would apology for her comments, Madam Afisa Djaba said she has no apology to render.
“The president is my brother and I spoke from my convictions. I made the statement as a wakeup call for him. We are building a nation and he [John Mahama] was running for re-election and I felt the people who should tell him as it is were not telling him as it was,” she said.
Madam Otiko further explained that “When I said the president was an embarrassment, I referred to SADA. SADA is very dear to my heart. The incident of poverty in the three Northern region where my mother comes from is very high. But the president who comes from the North did nothing to help the region. It was an embarrassment”
“I don’t owe him [President Mahama] or you [Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyin] any apology. We are developing and building a nation” she firmly said.
However, the Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu interjected and in some way attempt to corece Madam Otiko to retract and apologize to the former president.
But the nominee, who is also the NPP's National Women's Organizer, strongly rebuff the call and maintained that “I don’t regret my comment. The president embarrassed Northerners and their chiefs have complained bitterly about that. When I talked about his [Ex-Prez Mahama] wickedness, Ghanaians were crying due to Dumsor and high tariffs.”
When asked to dissociate herself from those words by the ranking member, she quizzed - “Are you trying to say that we cannot criticize? Are you saying that I don’t have my right to speak? My words weren’t an insults, it was a criticism!”
Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Washman007
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This woman is a big disgrace to womanhood and no man can marry her.
I quote Shakespeare, 'Cowards die many times before their death'. I had an American fiend some years back, who said, Ghanaians are cowards and fear to say things as they are and speak the truth. In Ghana, if you are bold enough to speak the truth, people brand you as arrogant, too all-knowing and disrespectful. Most of our leaders have become so powerful and cannot be challenged, good or bad. I think the majority docile Ghanaians should congratulate Otiko for sticking to her convictions and refusing to be coerced. That is the mark of a decisive personality. More grease to your elbow, Otiko.
Otiko, I owe you a box of kallyppo
Good have mercy if this woman should be minister for children and women affairs. She is not a mother figure at all.
Have you forgotten when insult were rained on President Nana Addo when he was in opposition campaigning to be President. Those NDC people made comments like this wicked man can't be president. the further went ahead to say he is evil . Telling someone he is bad is not an insult. You are telling people the true nature of his person. An't you people intellectual? don't you know the different between insult and criticism.. Jesus Christ was criticized as having a demon yet he never demanded an apology . you human beings demand an apology. Repent
WHY IS SHE BEING COERCED TO APOLOGIZE TO A NATION WRECKING THI.EF LIKE MAHAMA?
...what she said about SADA is mostly true. I say No need to apologies. NDC politicians to focus on the competences of the appointees rather than seizing to get them to apologies for comments made during the elections.
How can this woman protect our children with this wicked attitude? Mr President change her quickly and send her to Zongo Ministry where she would meet Kubolo boys in zongo. This attitude can protect children's life
Common commitee question and Otiko is angry hahahahaha when she start work and insults from all angles are been pour on her for failing that we would see.
Is Otiko married? if yes then she doesn't respect her husband. If she does she would have accorded the same respect for someones husband as well irrespective of the question been ask. These are the people that can easily course this administration but people seems not to see it but rather supporting her blindly. Arrogance have just began and we wait to see