Carol's suspension abuse of power – Kwaku Asare

The suspension of Dr Louise Carol Serwaa Donkor, who is a Policy and Communication Analyst at the Presidency, for her anti-foot soldier comments, is abuse of power, Kwaku Asare, a US-based Ghanaian Professor, has said.

According to him, not even a military government would take such a punitive measure.

On Tuesday, 12 June, Chief of Staff Akosua Frema Osei-Opare wrote an official letter to Mr Eugene Owusu, Special Advisor to the President on SDGs, to suspend his employee, Dr Louise Carol Serwaa Donkor, for offending “a section of Ghanaians” with her comments.

Ms Osei-Opare said Dr Donkor, who is also a member of female advocacy group, Pepperdem Ministries, has misconducted herself hence the request for her suspension.

In the letter dated 12 June 2018, the Chief of Staff noted that her attention “has been drawn to some unsavoury comments attributed to Dr Louise Carol Serwaa Donkor, the Policy and Communication Analyst, at your outfit

“These comments sought to disparage a section of the Ghanaian society, a conduct which is unacceptable to this Office.

“Consequently, you are directed to suspend Dr Donkor from office for a period of thirty days beginning the 13th day of June, 2018.

“Further, she is required to render, in writing, an unconditional apology and commit to good behaviour”.

Commenting on this development on his Facebook page, Prof Asare said: “Vacate the suspension of Hosanna Louise Carol. It cannot be that we are now in a country where one can be suspended for saying it is no use to argue with foot soldiers on Facebook

“It is a sad spectacle that would not have happened even under the military days and that I could never have contemplated could happen under the Presidency of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

“It takes a lot to break my spirit but this abuse of power to humiliate a staffer to satisfy unknown footsoldiers has broken me.”