[ 2017-02-03 ]

Majority, Minority cross swords over feisty Otiko
The approval by parliament’s Appointments
Committee of Minister-designate for Gender,
Children and Social Protection, Otiko Afisa Djaba,
threw the house into a heated debate on Friday, 3
February.

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.

However, the Committee as a whole recommended Ms
Djaba and five other ministerial appointees for
approval by majority decision despite Ms Djaba’s
refusal to apologise for describing former
President John Mahama as “evil, wicked” and
“an embarrassment” to people of the regions up
north.

When the issue came up for discussion in
parliament for a decision to be taken by the
house, Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu maintained
that refusal to participate in a one-year service
to the nation after her undergraduate studies at
the University for Development Studies
disqualified her from public service.

Mr Iddrisu said he was “referring to Act 426
section 7 of the Constitution”, adding: “It is
also a national obligation. She, in her answers,
was forthright and was candid with the committee
that ‘I have not done national service’.
Therefore, can she work in the public service of
Ghana and hold the high office of a minister of
state?”

Act 426 section 7 of the Constitutions deals with
matters concerning persons liable to national
service and instructs against employment contrary
to the provisions of the Act.

It states:

“(1) A person who has not commenced and
completed his period of national service shall
not:
(a) obtain employment outside the Scheme; or
(b) be employed by any other person outside the
Scheme; or
(c) be engaged in any employment outside the
Scheme, whether self-employed or otherwise,
without the prior permission, in writing, of the
Board.

(2) It shall be the duty of every employer to
ascertain from every employee, upon his
appointment, whether or not he is liable to
national service and if he is, the employer shall
notify the fact to the Board forthwith.”

However, Suhum MP Frederick Opare-Ansah pointed
out that the requirement of ministers is similar
to that of parliamentarians and if
parliamentarians were not requested to present a
national service certificate before being cleared
to contest as MPs, it would be needless to request
for a national service certificate from Ms Djaba.

Source - classfmonline.com

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