Minister designate for Gender and Social
Protection, Otiko Afisa Djaba has written a letter giving further explanations
on why she didn't do her national service.
The issues of national service
was among several issues that were raised when the Minister designate appeared
before the Appointment Committee of Parliament.
Currently, all the
Minority legislators on the Appointments Committee are against Ms Djaba’s
approval citing her inability to undertake her national service as well as for
her posture during her vetting.
Debating the issues on the floor of
parliament on Friday, February 3, Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu said: “She does
not have our support and she will not have our support until she behaves in a
manner befitting a minister.”
In a letter addressed to the chairman of
the Committee, Otiko said: "I wish to explain further that I did not undertake
National Service upon completion of a course of study at the University of
Development Studies (UDS), Wa Campus, in 2009, because I was informed that
persons who were over forty (40) years of age were exempted from national
service," she stated in the letter.
Read the full letter
below:
P.O. Box CT8799
Cantonments
Accra
2nd February,
2017
The Chairman
Appointments Committee
Parliament of
Ghana
Parliament House
ACCRA
Dear Sir,
FURTHER
EXPLANATION ON NON-PARTICIPATION IN NATIONAL SERVICE SCHEME
I am
writing to clarify responses I gave in answer to a question posed to me about my
national service during my appearance at the Appointments Committee, as part of
the vetting processes to assume the office of Minister of Gender, Children and
Social Protection.
I wish to explain further that I did not undertake
National Service upon completion of a course of study at the University of
Development Studies (UDS), Wa Campus, in 2009, because I was informed that
persons who were over forty (40) years of age were exempt from national
service.
I completed UDS in 2009 at the age of 47, and consequently, was
under the impression that I was exempt from national service.
As a
Ghanaian patriot, who has worked in the most inhospitable parts of Ghana like
the Sissala District for over six years, and provided various services to my
nation in many other fields of endeavour, it would be inconceivable that I would
deliberately abstain serving my nation.
I hope that this explanation
would inform your decision in respect of my non-participation in the National
Service Scheme upon completion of UDS in 2009.
Yours
faithfully,
Otiko Djaba
Minister-Designate
Ministry of
Gender, Children and Social Protection
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