The Diplomat Misunderstood Me - Hannah Tetteh

Snippets of information from the corridors of government and pieced together by the Daily Post newspaper indicates that Trade Minister, Hannah Tetteh has successfully cleared the air regarding her alleged comment to an American diplomat about why Justice Bamford Addo was appointed Speaker of Parliament.

Many in the ruling party were mortified when in one of the recently released U.S. diplomatic cables by whistle blower website, wikileaks, she was alleged to have said that Justice Bamford Addo was appointed Speaker because the Mills government saw her “…as someone who will take orders and be malleable to party discipline…for important votes, the party would remove Addo and put the First Deputy Speaker; Edward Adjaho into her place as a stronger enforcer.”

This paper’s sources within government initially told of how many within the corridors of power were aghast with anger against the Trade Minister for her comments with some opining that she ought to resign from her position as Minister of Trade or be removed from office.

However, latest feelers from very credible sources inside the government say the Trade Minister took the bold initiative to approach and explain to both President Mills and the Speaker what she actually told the diplomat and why she did so. “It turned out that she never said that Justice Bamford-Addo was malleable. What she said was far from what was reported in the wikileaks. Obviously, the diplomat misunderstood her.” The source said.

The source further said even after her explanation, the Trade Minister personally met the Speaker of Parliament, Justice Bamford-Addo and the two had “a nice chat” to put the matter to rest.