The Member of Parliament for North Tongu Constituency in the Volta Region, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has insinuated that the rejection of appointment from President Akufo-Addo by the immediate past Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Otiko Afisa Djaba, is an indications that, all is not well with the ruling government.
The Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee in Parliament is therefore warning the government not to dent the cordial relationship Ghana has had over the years with countries such as Italy with his appointments.
Madam Afisa Djaba in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra on Monday hinted that she would want to take a long break, after 13-years of active politics so that she could enjoy life with her children.
Madam Djaba was appointed Ghana’s Ambassador to Italy just a fortnight ago but said she had declined the offer and communicated same officially to President Akufo-Addo.
After her appointment as Ambassador to Italy, Madam Djaba was tasked to hand over to Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama, who would act until the new Minister-designate, Mrs. Cynthia Morrison is vetted by Parliament.
But Madam Djaba reportedly told the media that “at 56 years, l want to relax, enjoy my family, life and therefore, l am not ready to take up the appointment as Ambassador to Italy”.
Reacting to the issue on his facebook post on Tuesday, Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa said “while wishing her well in her future endeavours, it does appear that contrary to what they would want us believe, all is not well within the Akufo-Addo government”.
He said “this fact is further buttressed by the recent astonishing claims from the Health Minister that some ‘enemies’ within want him sacked”.
“As pundits will most likely conclude; these internal rifts will potentially have far reaching governance consequences for our country”, he added.
Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa added that “while acknowledging that the former Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister deserves some privacy at this juncture, a critical concern ought to be Ghana’s relations with Italy”.
“I do hope this avoidable quagmire will be delicately managed if not late in the day so as not to convey an impression albeit negatively that we are toying with our long standing strategic relations with the Italians”, the MP added.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP said “no receiving country is flattered to discover that an envoy so appointed is unwilling – to say the least, and that the appointing authority apparently did little or no homework before announcing such an appointment to the world”.
Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa called on the President to rather appoint carrer diplomats to foreign missions instead of party faithful.
“And if I may, perhaps it is time for President Akufo-Addo to seize this opportunity and appoint a career diplomat instead since the current ratio precariously discriminates against career diplomats in favour of political appointees”.
He added that “this fly in the face of the government’s own 60:40 pledge. It is no longer a secret that this issue is threatening morale amongst our illustrious Foreign Service staff and already causing much grumbling”.
Source: The Publisher
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Is it your concern. Have you dealt with the salvos being thrown at you and your colleagues by Alban Bagbin. You have as at now gotten eleven 11)Presidential hopefuls and still counting. We shal find an appropriate name for them when the nominations close.
I pity these f0000***000ls in the ndc who call themselves leaders in that party.I think it is God's time to end this ndc party for good else, how can they be talking basabasa like that in opposition when you have been rejected overwhelmingly, massively , humiliatingly unprecedented in the history of Ghana, for a president to finish his 4 year mandate and kicked out on a$$ and these same people are talking making the majority of the voters angry and their party unattractive. Ndc will rot in opposition with this ***barred word*** coming to lead them! I don't understand why some people love power like that, ndc is going to be like pnc in the making where their flagbearers won't leave for others to try, heheheheee! when Hassan Ayariga lost the pnc primaries he formed his own party instead of helping the chosen one. eeeei you love power papa! Ghana's constitution gives 2nd mandate to a president who the people find fit and worked satisfactory and it runs concurrent not go and come another day. If go and come another day works in Ghana Dr Limann would have been a president again when he tried for several times after being overthrown by a coup. When Ghanaians lose confidence in you nothing will change their minds, if they like you they will likely retain you but to be sacked and come back to contest is something unreasonable. Akufo Addo was never a president so lost 2 times and won the third time, Atta Mills was never the president who controlled everything so it was right for him to contest as many times as he wanted because the constitution didn't give the Vice President a mandate, but fir a president who was sworn in as president and chose his own appointees, had the whole country under his care and who the constitution gives a mandate of 4 years each which should run concurrently when he/she performs satisfactorily to be booted out for poor work done and decide he has another term to complete is unthinkable only second Hassan Ayariga who couldn't win his party's primaries and thought that was his bona-fide property could do this. Hahahahahahahaha! what a joke!
Very infantile analysis, where are these ppl from
'Saaaaa, na mo kaeaaaa', now who is on unity walk?
Okudjato, did you listen to Rawlings when Mr Incompetent Mahama paid him a visit. Is everything ok with NDC?. The woman has been reassigned and she says she is not interested. Whats your problem.May be she doesnt have any experience or expects in international relations and diplomacy, hence her decision to back down, unlike you who do not have any experience and expects in education but accepted to be a deputy minister of Education.
What career did you have or had created for yourself before being appointed as a deputy minister of one of the pillars of the nation's foundation (Education)? ***barred word***, Bagbin go get you!
I Guess all is well with the NDC