A communication team member of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Charles Owusu has backed Gender Minister Nominee, Otiko Afisa Djaba for describing former President John Dramani Mahama as “wicked” and an “embarrassment” to Northerners.
After touring almost all the three Northern region last year, Charles Owusu says the NPP Women’s Organizer assertion was a wakeup call to the president rather than an insult as purported.
To him, Otiko’s words “wasn’t an insult. If we want someone to apologise, then it means that the former President [John Mahama] should do the honourable thing and apologize to Ghanaians and mostly the people of the Northern region.”
“He failed them totally. There’s nothing in the North that has been done through SADA. The guinea fowls are yet to return from their hideouts,” he said in an interview with Peacefmonline.com.
Gender Minister Nominee, Otiko Afisa Djaba during his vetting session at Parliament House in Accra refused to withdraw her comments made against former President John Dramani Mahama ahead of the 2016 elections.
The nominee said she owes the former President no apology for her comments.
Queried by some of the Minority members on the panel for describing the former president as “wicked, evil and someone with a heart of the devil,” Afisa Djaba said she spoke out of conviction and would not apologize or withdraw her comments.
“The President is my brother and I spoke from my convictions. I made the statements that I made as a wakeup call for him. We are building the nation. He was running for re-election and I felt that the people who should tell him as it is were not telling him as it was,” she stated.
“They decided that because he was my brother, they did not want me to speak and when I talked about him being an embarrassment, I spoke in relation to SADA. SADA is very dear to my heart. My mother is a Northerner, the incidence of poverty is highest in the three Northern Regions and for a President who comes from the Northern Region, who promised to alleviate poverty, what happened to the Guinea fowls? It was an embarrassment to me and to the North. The Chiefs of the North actually made that statement and so I don’t owe him or you any apology. We are developing and building a nation,” she added.
Hours after her appearance at the vetting committee, President of policy think tank IMANI, Franklin Cudjoe lashed out at the Minister-designate for performing poorly.
According to him, Otiko Afisa Djaba is a "pale shadow" of the immediate past Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur.
He said she [Otiko] was terrible at the Appointments Committee vetting – but Charles Owusu vehemently disagreed.
The PPP man believes Madam Otiko exhibited bravery and must be lauded for that rather than the condemnation from individuals such as Franklin Cudjoe.
"Why must we always condemn ladies for their bravery? Otiko stood by her words. If there is any apology the President and Franklin (Cudjoe) must apologize to her,” he noted.
Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Washman007
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Madam Otiko IS NOT A LADY AND DID NOT HAVE A GOOD UPBRING SHE IS A LOOSE
Well people talk and that is what it will continue to be till trump tells us that the land doesn't belong to us anymore because our debts have exceeded the value of the land. Sit down here and just be talking, yes talking. Whether she performed or not is not your business or your decision. IMANI if you have nothing to think about, come, I have loads of mathematical computations that leads to a totally free Continent. If Mahama was corrupt, it is your time to show you are not my lady. Don't be a disappointment yourself. Thank you Ghana
I hope that Ghanians who are voted into power or appointed by any sitting government should know that, it is a Herculean task to be a president. Most of us know the story about SADA! It not so easy to govern or deal with human beings as a president. We all know the mess up about SADA! Well, lam looking forward to the NPP government about his new polices of elviating or reducing poverty in the Nothern regions of Ghana. Just recently, there is a bribery allegation going on about the new appointed energy minister designate approval. My question is , are we not Ghanaians, or politician learning from the past mistakes! I personally, believe in Nana Addo that he is strong to work hard to deliver on his campagin promises but his appointees are likely in some way may let him down. The former president Mahama should have dug in so deeply to bring those among SADA scandals to book. All in all, those appointed by the current sitting President should know that the road they are traveling in is very slippery and must walk with firm feet in order to make Nana Addo's vision a reality for the benefit of all Ghanaians and the entire Africa.
@Baba /God - YOU HAVE NOT SAID OR MADE ANY MEANINGFUL SUBMISSION OO, I GUEZZ U READ GIBBIRISH IN SCHOOL PLS GET BACK TO SCHOOL YOU NEED FREE EDUCATION
U r talking as if MPP is God that can change every thing at same time God wat all have done when u were in power where is redenomination money Ghana at fifty MPP time teachers when to strick they have no been pay DAT month salary. Is npp a God at all? So without npp we can't live in Ghana ?
because the men are weak and they are scared of women who are bold
if we as ghanaians felt is an insult then fair enough,but i still used the same wicked word for the northern politician who belongs to the ndc, for my five years staying in upper west, i have no word to use apart from that, the regions have been voting for ndc since 1992, but they still cheat on their own people, when you work at these communities where i work, you will appreciate the importance of school feeding,i like manasseh any time he writes about the north bcos thus exactly as is happining here
only in Ghana can a ex prez be abused. What I we teaching our children.
there are people in ghana who do not need to be insulted rather need to be whipped. like former president Mahama/ wayoomi and others
Frankly Cudjoe was talking about his stomach. He barked at the ndc Mahama government until he was filled full and sh*t up. I'm not surprised such a person is lashing at this nice lady who performed creditable well to shut down the ndc cabal. Otiko we are solidly behind you,say it as it is and let the fire burn. Goodluck