What was Gabby doing at UN General Assembly meeting? - Apaak asks

A member of the foreign affairs committee of parliament, and MP for Builsa South, Dr Clement Apaak is questioning the capacity in which cousin of president Akufo-Addo, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko joined the government delegation at the UN General Assembly meeting on Thursday.

Mr. Otchere-Darko, just days ago issued a statement on his Facebook wall denying suggestions that he is an appointee of the president.

On August 22, he wrote on his wall, “For the avoidance of doubt, I do not work at the presidency and lack the luxury to hang around the presidency doing Kokonsa. I run a law firm, Africa Legal Associated, Labone, where my job is to pursue the legal/corporate (legitimate) interests of my clients…”

The latest development has however generated a heated debate on social media, with many asking if the private legal practitioner is indeed a presidential appointee or not.

Commenting on the matter on 3FM’s midday news, Friday, Dr Apaak queried, “In what capacity does the president’s cousin appear at the UN general assembly and sitting among delegates who by and large are supposed to be government appointees?”

The former presidential staffer also indicated that he expects the presidency to provide the full list of delegates who attended the programme.

He did not end there. He also told host, Kwakye Afreh-Nuamah that, “I think this also raises a bigger issue. We should be asking for the presidency to put in the public domain, the list of staffers at the office of the presidency. This way we can be sure that those who are there in their capacity as presidential staffers and not family members who are seeking to take advantage of their relative being at the helm of affairs”

There has not been any official response from government or Gabby Otchere –Darko yet. But opinions remain divided over whether the issue is “a big deal” or not.