Otiko’s approval deferred after minority’s rejection

Parliament has suspended the approval of the Gender, Children and Social Protection minister-designate, Otiko Afisa Djaba following the minority’s rejection.

This was at the behest of the majority in parliament following the minority’s rejection of her candidature after a fiery showing before the Appointments Committee of parliament during her vetting.

Deferring her approval, the Speaker of Parliament, Mike Oquaye said “the house would stand adjourned to Tuesday 7 February, 2017.”

According to Starr News’ parliamentary correspondent, Ibriham Alhassan, the move was “to get her [Otiko Afisa Djaba] to withdraw her words and apologise.”

Parliament has been debating the Appointment’s Committee’s report on the second batch of President Akufo-Addo’s ministerial nominees, where all the nominees were cleared apart from Ms. Djaba.

The minority’s rejection of her approval was as a result of her spirited defense of her description of former president Mahama as “wicked” and “evil”.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament today [Friday], Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu reiterated the stance of the minority on the grounds that the nominee’s attitude and temperament will be an affront to the Ministry she is to head.

“We have heard the public question the appointment committee that sometimes we take long too much but the longer it is the better we know the temperament of the Nominee…We are not just looking at the understanding of Policies but we are interested in your temperament…we on this side are convinced that the nominee Otiko Djaba given every opportunity she has described the former President Mahama as ‘evil’ then we persuaded her in body language…and assured her that it’s not  our culture but…her attitude, her temperament and the sensitivity on women and children [was not the best].”