Flashback: President Akufo-Addo congratulating Otiko during her ministerial appointment
Flashback: President Akufo-Addo congratulating Otiko during her ministerial appointment

The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection Otiko Afisa Djaba has been sued jointly with the Attorney General Gloria Akuffo over her appointment.

Ms. Djaba’s appointment was characterized by controversy after it came out during her vetting that she did not do her National Service and also refused to apologise to former President John Mahama over certain unsavoury comments she made during the elections.

She has been sued by two National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs – Ernest Norgbey (Ashaiman) and Kwabena Mintah Akandoh (Juaboso) – at the Supreme Court for her appointment to be revoked.

The duo want the court to nullify her nomination and swearing in due to her inability to honour the mandatory national service.

Below are the reliefs they are seeking:

“A declaration that upon a true and proper interpretation of the provisions of the constitution particularly article 94 (2)(g) of the constitution [she] is in contempt of section (7) of the Ghana National Service Act, Act 426. The second defendant Otiko Djaba is disqualified from being nominated, approved, and appointed as Minister of State which constitutes employment in the Public Service.

“A declaration that upon a true and proper interpretation of the provisions of the constitution that the swearing in of the Second defendant is null and void and has no effect whatsoever.

“We also want an order directed at the second defendant restraining her from acting or purporting to act as Minister of State until such a time she completes her national service or duly granted an exemption in accordance with the National Service Act.”

The Minority boycotted her approval in Parliament, but she eventually sailed through after majority vote.