William Quaitoo has revealed he did not resign under pressure as a deputy Agriculture Minister under the Akufo-Addo government.
Quaitoo came under intense pressure to vacate his post having described farmers from the North, demanding compensation for their crops destroyed by the army worm epidemic as people who cannot be trusted.
“I regret saying that comment. The word ‘some’ was missing [during the interview],” Quaitoo told Bola Ray on Starr Chat Wednesday.
The MP for Akyem Oda said he was quoted out of context.
“I was quoted out of context and out of proportion. I wasn’t forced to resign. There was pressure on the president by my brothers from the North. I did not resign because of pressure from the National Democratic Congress (NDC),” Quaitoo opined.
A remorseful Quaitoo asked the people of the North to forgive him over his comments, adding he is “considering going to Yendi” to officially apologise to them.
“Any Northerner that I meet I say ‘I’m sorry’”, the trained teacher and farmer remarked.
Mr. Quaitoo noted he will accept another position from the president if it is offered to him.
According to him, he bears no grudge with anyone and resigned with a good heart.
President Akufo-Addo received the deputy minister’s resignation letter August 29, 2017 after a massive public backlash over the tribal comment.
“The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, this evening accepted the resignation from office of the Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Hon. William Quaitoo, MP, which takes immediate effect. The President wished him the very best in his future endeavors,” a statement from the Presidency read.
