Gender and Social Protection Minister, Otiko Afisa Djaba has re-echoed her position not to offer an apology to former President John Dramani Mahama for describing him as a man with ‘wicked heart.’
The nomination of Otiko Afisa Djaba was finally approved by parliament after the House after voting.
Her approval had to come to a vote following complaints from the Minority Members of Parliament that she must apologise for comments she made against the former President and also settle the issue with her national service.
Otiko during the 2016 electioneering campaign described the former President as one with a ‘wicked heart’ for superintending over the abysmal performance of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) which was meant to benefit northerners.
She refused to heed to calls to retract the comment and apologise to the ex-President during her vetting in Parliament.
Minority members of the Appointments Committee who were unhappy with her refusal to apologise failed to approve of her nomination and this led to a debate on the floor of the house.
Debating Ms Djaba’s approval, Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu said: “She does not have our support and she will not have our support until she behaves in a manner befitting a minister.”
All the Minority legislators on the Appointments Committee voted against her approval citing her inability to undertake her national service as well as her posture during her vetting as reasons.
The number of legislators who voted in support of her approval was 152, which is more than half of the votes of the 275-member house. No vote was recorded against her nomination as the Minority abstained from voting.
The approval led to her swearing in as Minister by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
A day after swearing in, Otiko refused to retract the offensive comments on Adom FM’s Morning Show, ‘Dwaso Nsem’ arguing that she has never seen the reason to retract or apologise to the President.
“What am I sorry about? I am not sorry about any of the things I said, everyone talks based on her convictions, what I said is a reflection of my true convictions…,” she said.
She further asked the former President to ponder over the performance of the SADA initiative under his watch and see if it is something he can also be proud of.
Asked if she would be happy if people describe her as one with ‘evil heart’ if she fails to perform in her new position, Otiko said she was hoping she would not fail in her position as she has enough experience to perform in her new role.
I see no reason to apologise to Mahama – Otiko
Gender and Social Protection Minister, Otiko Afisa Djaba has re-echoed her position not to offer an apology to former President John Dramani Mahama for describing him as a man with ‘wicked heart.’
The nomination of Otiko Afisa Djaba was finally approved by parliament after the House after voting.
Her approval had to come to a vote following complaints from the Minority Members of Parliament that she must apologise for comments she made against the former President and also settle the issue with her national service.
Otiko during the 2016 electioneering campaign described the former President as one with a ‘wicked heart’ for superintending over the abysmal performance of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) which was meant to benefit northerners.
She refused to heed to calls to retract the comment and apologise to the ex-President during her vetting in Parliament.
Minority members of the Appointments Committee who were unhappy with her refusal to apologise failed to approve of her nomination and this led to a debate on the floor of the house.
Debating Ms Djaba’s approval, Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu said: “She does not have our support and she will not have our support until she behaves in a manner befitting a minister.”
All the Minority legislators on the Appointments Committee voted against her approval citing her inability to undertake her national service as well as her posture during her vetting as reasons.
The number of legislators who voted in support of her approval was 152, which is more than half of the votes of the 275-member house. No vote was recorded against her nomination as the Minority abstained from voting.
The approval led to her swearing in as Minister by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
A day after swearing in, Otiko refused to retract the offensive comments on Adom FM’s Morning Show, ‘Dwaso Nsem’ arguing that she has never seen the reason to retract or apologise to the President.
“What am I sorry about? I am not sorry about any of the things I said, everyone talks based on her convictions, what I said is a reflection of my true convictions…,” she said.
She further asked the former President to ponder over the performance of the SADA initiative under his watch and see if it is something he can also be proud of.
Asked if she would be happy if people describe her as one with ‘evil heart’ if she fails to perform in her new position, Otiko said she was hoping she would not fail in her position as she has enough experience to perform in her new role.