The Minister of Information Mustapha Hamid has laughed off comments by Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection that even though he is an “albino” he has been appointed as a Minister of State.
Otiko Afisa-Djaba made this comment during an interview on Starr FM saying: “You have persons with disability; somebody just takes a picture without asking their permission, some think that every disabled person should be a beggar. I have met disabled people in the University. In the previous administration, there was a disabled person as a Minister for chieftaincy.
“Our Regional Minister currently in the Central Region, Hon. Duncan, is also a person with disability. In some places, persons with albinism are not supposed to even operate, but our Minister for Information Mr. Mustapha Hamid is an albino. I met the Minister for Gender of Liberia and she is an albino; and so it means that we shouldn’t look at the disabilities of people, but their abilities, potential and usefulness.”
But commenting on the matter for the first time on Starr Chat Wednesday, Mr. Hamid said his colleague minister has a “complete misunderstanding of disability.”
“And so to that extent it is a matter that we should laugh about. Frankly,” he added.
Asked whether he met Ms Djaba since her comment, he answered in the affirmative adding that: “She called me and she said oh! My brother people are trying to draw a wedge between us and I said I know. And she said oh! Thank you very much but I apologise if I have caused you any miss-feeling or ill-feeling.”
