President's Spokesperson Opens Up On Alleged Slapping Incident

Spokesperson for President John Dramani Mahama, John Jinapor, has described as a "blatant falsehood", accusations by Deputy Minister for Women and Children’s Affairs, Hajia Hawawu Boya Gariba, that he assaulted her in an unprovoked attack this year.

The Deputy Minister claims Mr Jinapor slapped her at the Kotoka International Airport in May upon their arrival from Tamale for an official function, when she called him ‘useless’.

According to her, she even reported the incident to the Chief of Staff, but no action was taken on the matter.

Hajia Boya was attacked on Sunday by an NDC woman known as Mma Kande in a salon in Tamale ripping her clothes apart. A pregnant woman was also pushed down in the process.

The deputy minister insists John Jinapor and Haruna Iddrisu, the Communications Minister, are behind the attack on her adding that the failure of the Chief of Staff to take action on Mr. Jinapor motivated Haruna Iddrisu to plan the latest attack on her.

But in a message copied to peacefmonline.com, President Mahama's Spokesperson said the allegations against him are unwarranted and vowed not to allow the deputy Minister to use him as a "scapegoat".

Below is a copy of the unedited text message sent to peacefmonline.com.

"That is blatant falsehood. Indeed I have never fought any man in my life; how much more talk about slapping a woman. As a politician, I have always carried myself well and strove to maintain my dignity.

My problem is that she claims I did not support her parliamentary ambition hence her anger with me.

She is fighting with several people in the party and if that is causing problems for her she certainly cannot drag me as a scapegoat to salvage her image.

Secondly, I am not aware of who and where she was attacked in Tamale so I couldn’t have organized it.

She is only desperate and clutching on straws."