NDC hates women - Ursula Owusu

The reception given to women in the Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, who committed offences while in office, as opposed to their male counterparts, is an obvious demonstration of the ruling government’s hatred for women, Mrs Ursula Owusu Ekuful has said.

Citing instances to back her claim, Ursula recalled that female government officials in the current administration associated with minor wrongdoings were either sacked or forced to resign.

But the story was different in the case of the men, as they were mostly mildly stripped off their ministerial positions and made to join their likes at the seat of government, the Flagstaff House.

And this development has brought to question, the calibre of persons occupying the seat of government, which continues to suffer a slur on its image.

In April last year, for example, the President of the Central University College, Professor Kwesi Yankah, during an Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) encounter, referred to the Government House as a safe haven for government officials, who were either involved in corrupt practices or under investigation.

He said: “The perception is not surprising, since the presidency is perceived to have become a comfortable refuge for officials suspected to have been involved in corruption and are under investigation. The transfer or promotion of bad nuts to the presidency, rather than their demotion or indictment, tends to defile the dignity of the presidency, and taints its image.”

Mrs. Ursula Owusu’s conclusion on the male-female nexus in the Mahama administration, which flows from Professor Yankah’s, was a response to the aftermath of the 59th Independence Day error-filled brochure, where the architect of the mess, Mr. Stan Dogbe, had been re-assigned to State Protocol.

Speaking on Accra-based Joy Fm’s news analysis programme, News File, the Ablekuma West Member of Parliament (MP) said the President’s susceptibility to gender influence, where male officials, even after they had misbehaved, were shielded but females sacked, showed that the ruling government either did not have femininity at heart or had personal issues with them.

She made references to former Commissioner on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Mrs Lauretta Vivian Lamptey; former Deputy Minister for Communications, Victoria Hammah; former Deputy minister at the Ministry of Gender and Social Protection, Hawa Boya Gariba and the latest victim, former Minister for Transport, Mrs. Dzifa Attivor, who left office under outlandish circumstances.

However, their male colleagues, some of whom did “terrible things” were dumped at the Presidency after they were relieved of their existing positions.

Mrs. Ursula Ekuful mentioned the likes of former Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah; Mr Sylvester Mensah, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA); Mr. Kojo Adu Asare, former CEO of the Youth Enterprise Support (YES) and the contentious situation of Mr. Stan Dogbe, former Head of the Communications Bureau of the Flagstaff House.

She said: “There is a little injustice when you look at how men are treated after a situation and how women are treated after they get into trouble.”…These women were “promptly sacked” when they embarrassed the government, but men have done “terrible things”.

A logical postulation by the Ablekuma West legislator painted a picture that suggested that the engagements of the males should have been received with dismissals, whereas the women ought to have been pardoned, given the gravity of their offences. At best, both sects should equally have been dismissed for the offences they had committed.