The latest critic is the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West; Mrs. Ursula Owusu Ekuful who believes the Minister is ‘an apology to women activism’.
Following their sentencing, supporters of the governing National Democratic Congress, ministers, and deputy ministers, groups, friends, and family have mounted pressure on President John Dramani Mahama to grant them pardon by invoking his prerogative of mercy powers under Article 72 of the 1992 Constitution.
Some Ministers and their deputies who have signed the petition include Nana Oye Lithur, Minister of Education Prof Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, Deputy Education Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Deputy Petroleum Minister Benjamin Dagadu, Deputy Minister of Communications Felix Kwakye Ofosu, among others.
But on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Wednesday, Ursula Owusu could not fathom why someone who is championing the cause of women will be part of the 'bandwagon endorsing an illegality'.
“Oye Lithur has made gender activism very difficult. How do you support someone who has threatened to kill the Chief Justice who is also a woman?” she quizzed.
The Ablekuma West MP who is also a gender advocate noted that, Nana Oye Lithur’s involvement in the petition defeats the purpose of her position as a Gender Minister.
She cited how Nana Oye Lithur led campaign and also issued a statement to publicly condemn and chastise Assin Central MP, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong when he made misogynic comments about the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei to buttress her point.
Ursula Owusu said action and inaction of the Gender Minister in recent times smacks of hypocrisy and double standards.