The NDC Women’s Wing in the Akim Oda Constituency in Eastern Region has called on the Chairperson of Parliament’s Local Government and Rural Development Committee, Hon. Queenstar Maame Pokua Sawyerr, to apologise to the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Birim Central, Hon. Solomon Brako Kusi, and his family over what it describes as insensitive childbirth comment during a recent committee engagement.
Tensions rose during a sitting of Parliament’s Committee on Local Government and Rural Development in Koforidua on Friday, June 19, 2026, after comments by the Committee Chairperson, Hon. Queenstar Maame Pokuah Sawyerr, sparked reactions from participants.
The Chairperson, who is also Member of Parliament for Agona East, came under criticism after suggesting that the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Birim Central, Solomon Kusi Brako, should have attended the committee meeting despite his wife undergoing a Caesarean section at the hospital.
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“So you could have visited your wife and tell her that you are going to work and come back.You come, you ask for permission .We do yours first, then you leave . Because definitely you can’t nurse or you can’t doctor your nurse, your wife So why you did not come? You didn’t ask anybody to come and represent the district. Municipal. Director was supposed to come.Yes, please. If you’re a political figure, you run when you are called People leave their sick husbands We all did And Assuming his office people were here It should have looked as if really there is somebody who is sick, but nobody wants to come from the district” Queenstar Sawyer rebuked the MCE
However in a statement issued on Monday, the women’s wing expressed disappointment and outrage over circumstances they claim compelled the MCE to leave his wife and newborn child at the hospital to attend meeting by Parliamentary Committee on Local Government and Rural Development.
According to the group, Hon. Solomon Brako Kusi had earlier communicated his inability to attend the committee sitting due to his wife’s imminent delivery and sought permission through the appropriate channels.
The statement alleged that although some Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) who were unable to attend were excused, the Birim Central MCE was allegedly required to appear before the committee on the same day his wife gave birth.
“As women, mothers, wives, daughters and caregivers, we find this conduct particularly distressing and unacceptable. Childbirth is one of the most important moments in the life of any family and requires emotional support, physical presence and family bonding,” the statement said.
The women’s wing further stated that public accountability and parliamentary oversight should not come at the expense of empathy and human dignity.
They expressed disappointment in the committee chairperson, saying they expected greater appreciation of the realities surrounding childbirth and family support.
The statement also referenced the presence of the Member of Parliament for Akim Oda, Hon. Kwasi Acquah, who serves as Ranking Member on the committee, and noted that public political disagreements between him and the MCE had contributed to perceptions surrounding the incident.
“While we do not purport to know what transpired behind the scenes, the circumstances surrounding this incident inevitably create a perception of political targeting and raise legitimate questions in the minds of many residents,” the statement added.
The NDC Women’s Wing outlined several demands, including an unqualified apology from Hon. Queenstar Maame Pokua Sawyerr to Hon. Solomon Brako Kusi, his wife and family, and called on the committee to ensure future engagements strike a balance between accountability and compassion.
The group further urged Parliament’s Local Government and Rural Development Committee to conduct its oversight responsibilities in a manner that avoids perceptions of intimidation, political point-scoring or unfair treatment.
The statement ended by stressing that strong institutions are measured not only by their ability to enforce compliance but also by their capacity to demonstrate understanding and humanity during exceptional circumstances.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
