Otiko Sails Through After Heated Debate

By Emmanuel Akli The approval of the National Women’s Organizer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Madam Otiko Djaba, for the position of Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection became a subject of heated debate in Parliament yesterday, with both the Majority and the Minority taking entrenched positions for her approval or disapproval. The […]

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By Emmanuel Akli

The approval of the National Women’s Organizer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Madam Otiko Djaba, for the position of Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection became a subject of heated debate in Parliament yesterday, with both the Majority and the Minority taking entrenched positions for her approval or disapproval.

The Minority side, led by their leader, Haruna Iddrisu, had argued that Madam Otiko Djaba did not qualify to be a minister of state because she admitted before the Appointments Committee that she did not do her national service, which to them, breached the National Service Act.

They (Minority) further argued that the minister designate, during the election campaign described former President Mahama as “a devil at heart” and also “an embarrassment to Northerners”, but when she was asked by the Appointments Committee to apologize for her remarks, she refused to do so.

The Minority again accused Madam Otiko Djaba of supporting the claim made by Mr. Kennedy Agyapong, the Member of Parliament for Assin South that, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Madam Charlotte Osei, secured her job through sexual favours.

To them, in all these instances, she refused to apologize for her behavior, hence she did not qualify to be a minister of state.

The Majority on their part contended that so long as the nominee qualified to be a Member of Parliament under the constitution, nothing stops her from becoming a minister of state.

The Majority further argued that though the National Service Act is subservient to the constitution, the National Service itself has granted a waiver to Madam Otiko Djaba and that the argument by the Minority has no roots in law.

They made reference to Mr Oti Bless, an NDC member who, even though did not do his national service, was passed by the House to become the Deputy Minister for Local Government and  Rural Development, after he secured a waiver from the National Service Board.

When it became clear that there could not be consensus on the issue, the Speaker, Prof Mike Ocquaye ruled that the House must use the secret ballot to determine the fate of the nominee, only for the Minority to again raise concern about the ballot papers which were going to be used to cast the ballot.

After back and forth argument, the issue was settled, but the Minority decided not to participate in the vote, saying the Majority were perpetuating an illegality.

Some Minority MPs had argued on Citi FM that the nominee was not a role model and that, for someone who is not on good terms with her mother should not be made to handle the Gender ministry.

They also contended that the waiver secured by Madam Djaba from the National Service board does not hold water and that the law takes effect from the day she appeared before the Appointments Committee and at that time, she admitted that she had not done her national service.

Meanwhile Madam Otiko Djaba secured 152 votes with none against to get parliamentary approval at the end of the day.

Announcing the results around 6:49pm after the secret voting, the Speaker said those present but did not participate in the voting were presumed to have abstained.

Prof. Mike Ocquaye congratulated Madam Otiko Djaba for getting the parliamentary approval to become the minister of Gender and Social Protection.

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