I can’t promise to act differently but I’ll try to be more measured – Ursula Owusu

Ursula Owusu-Ekuful says an outright change in her firm and fair approach to steadfastly meting out her duties if given the nod, is something she is unsure will happen.

According to Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful, her strong outlook to life may have given off some wrong connotations to certain persons who have taken exception to it.

This notwithstanding, she believes her approach is only one adopted by her to ensure the effective dispensation of her work without prejudice and if they are being misconstrued and misinterpreted by other persons, she will be more measured but is not sure of an outright change.

"I am fair but I am firm in the work that I do,” she said.

“If people find an exception to it, I cannot promise that I will act differently but we will be more measured in our responses moving forward... I cannot promise but I will try,” she added, to which Chair of the committee, Joseph Osei Owusu asked if that translated that she would use appropriate public service language moving forward.

Her comments were made before Parliament’s Appointments Committee Monday, February 15, 2021, after references were made to some instances where she had come across as harsh in some of her utterances.

A member of the committee, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa sought to question the nominee about her conduct and language to some colleagues in her capacity as minister.

He cited some three letters including one to Member of Parliament for Ajumako and ranking member on the Finance Committee, Cassiel Ato Forson, in which her language appeared temperamental, questioning how she intends to address the subject.

Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful in her response said she merely used idiomatic expressions, especially in the case of Mr Ato Forson when she mentioned that she would not go to the brothel for advice.

According to her, her words were taken out of context to suggest she may have been insulting or arrogant.

Rather she says, she is and will only remain fair and firm in the disposition of her duties.

“Mr. Chairman, that was an idiomatic expression that simply means, I know where to go for which particular information and I will not go to the inappropriate source to get it and so as my letter indicated, the honourable ranking member on the finance committee was seeking to tell me that I had no authority to do what I had to do and I told him in no uncertain terms that I disagreed with his assertion, and I will continue to do my work to the best of my ability.

“Maybe, it is the use of the word ‘brothel’ because I heard a lot of this in public commentary and I have responded to it, I am not operating any public brothel, I do not think that he operates on the level of brothels, and that’s not the meaning of the idiom.

“And so words have meanings, if we put the right meanings to them, we will not hop into the mistaken belief that maybe something untoward is being said but as I said, I am fair but I am firm in the work that I do,” she said.