Otiko declines Akufo-Addo’s ambassadorial job

Otiko Djaba has rejected President Akufo-Addo’s appointment to serve as Ghana’s ambassador to Italy.

The tough politician and former Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection who was thrown out of office in the President’s first reshuffle has said she’s calling it quits from active politics to enable her enjoy her family life.

“At 56 years, I want to relax and enjoy my family and life and, therefore, I am not ready to take up the appointment as Ambassador to Italy,” she said in a statement quoted by the state-owned Daily Graphic.

Otiko explained that she was hanging her political boots to take care of her sick ex-husband.

“I am the one who has been taking care of him since he got sick and I cannot abandon him now,” she noted.

Prior to her ministerial appointment, Otiko was the National Women’s Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Otiko while in office was involved in a public spat with then NPP Northern regional chairman Bugri Naabu in April 2017, a turf war political watchers said was unnecessary and gave the party and Akufo Addo government negative publicity.

Bugri Naabu subsequently lost his position at a party’s delegates congress in April 2018.