In defence of Otiko Djaba

Bishop David O. Oyedepo has noted that, “you do not fail an examination because it is difficult, you fail because you do not have the facts that make for success.”

That is how I see the position of the Minority in Parliament over the appointment of Ms Otiko Afisa Djaba. As Shakespeare has noted, at all times good reason must of necessity give way to better ones. When the Minority began their agitations against her, they did not focus on National Service, which is an objective fact.  They claimed subjectively that she had insulted the former President.

Last Friday when the debate commenced, the focus of the presentation was that she had described my Room Mate, Former President John Dramani Mahama as evil. Each of those who caught the eye of the Speaker stressed how pained they were that the former President had been denigrated by this woman. But on Tuesday, the arguments shifted to her not performing a mandatory National Service, but by that time many Ghanaians had taken sides in the matter, especially when last year the then Majority now Minority approved the appointment of Mr John Oti Bless as a Deputy Minister, who was granted retrospective exemption. Indeed, what delayed his approval had nothing to do with National Service, but his comments on radio about the Chief Justice relating to the contempt trial of the “Montie Three”.

There was also the impression created by some of the Members of Parliament (MPs) that the use of abusive language is alien to the northern parts of the country as if it is approved by any ethnic group in the country. Our MPs must move away from such subtle innuendo since it does not promote national unity and cohesion looking at the fact that the nominee has a Gonja mother and a Krobo father.

Whilst it is imperative that we make political discourse decorous, we cannot ban criticism, no matter how unconstructive. There may be sitting MPs who did not perform National Service.  There could be among MPs, some of whom were appointed to political office before they could do their National Service.

 The germane thing, however, as pointed out by the Minister of the Interior, Ambrose Dery, is that  not performing National Service is voidable, meaning it is not fatal as it could be remedied. The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana under Article 78(1) provides that Ministers of State must either be MPs or persons qualified to be elected as MPs.

Article 94 sets out the qualifications for  being an MP, as well as the factors that disqualify a person from standing as an MP. These qualifications include being a citizen of 21 years, hailing from or resident in the constituency, and who has met all tax obligations or made satisfactory arrangements for meeting tax liabilities. On the other hand, if one owes allegiance to another country, is bankrupt, of unsound mind, is convicted for prescribed offences, found incapable by a commission of inquiry, is unqualified to be registered as a voter, is disqualified by any law which is not being inconsistent with the constitution, works for the Electoral Commission or identified public services or is a chief, then such a person is disqualified from contesting an election as an MP. 

The list is fairly exhaustive and if none performance of National Service was fatal to the aspirations of such individuals, the provision would have expressly said so.

It is equally important to emphasise that the key ingredients in a democracy are rules and numbers. Once the rules are observed, the next thing is the will of the majority.  Consensus, where possible, is desirable but never a precondition or a basis for measuring good governance. What is alien to democracy is denying others the opportunity and the right or privilege to express their views before decisions are taken. The only aberration to the democratic ethos is the unwillingness of the minority to concede to the majority but attempt to entrench a culture of dictatorship of the minority.

The last time when Mr Kwabena Minta Akando was assailed, mauled, taunted and baselessly attacked for including in his CV that he served as a Dining Hall Prefect, I came to his defence. It is just fair that I plead the cause of Ms Djaba.

What is important is for Ms Djaba to do her work so well that all shall see and recognise her worth. She must prove her critics wrong, but she must maintain the firmness with which she holds her principles. She must live her principles as Thomas Jefferson advocates that; “In matters of style swim with the current, in matters of principle stand like a rock.”  I salute her for her resoluteness. We need principled leadership.