The Northern regional women organizer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Hajia Amama Seidu, has endorsed and commended the party youth group – The Burma Camp – for violently locking up the office of the School Feeding Programme on Monday.
Hajia Amama in angry tirade made disparaging comments about the Gender minister Madam Otiko and said she was elated that the youth carried out the violent action.
She went on to accuse the Gender Minister of tribalism, dubious appointment and dividing the women group in the region.
According to her, the action of the youth would force the party leadership to revisit the discussion on the welfare of the School Feeding program under Madam Djaba and appealed to the President to detach the Programme from the ministry.
Hajia Amama said Madam Otiko appointed caterers and Zonal coordinators at the same time accusing her of sidelining the regional women organizers and packing the programme with constituency women organizers who are all her tribemates.
Chaos beset the programme four months ago when the party regional chairman, Bugri Naabu led an alliance of women organizers of the party in the region to disrupt a meeting held by the minister with another women wing, in Tamale following accusations she was supporting a candidate for the regional coordinator post of the program. The chairman was rooting for a different candidate for the same position.
Though following exhaustive deliberations, the choice of Bugri Naabu was chosen but Madam Otiko has since failed to set up a good working relationship with her regional officer.
On Monday, a youth group of the party organized a news conference accusing the Gender Minister of sidestepping the authority of the regional coordinator and said it was the power of the regional coordinator to appoint Zonal coordinators and Caterers.
The youth then invaded the Regional Coordinating Council and locked up the office of the programme and urged the regional coordinator to stand down if Otiko would not accord her the respect.
The NPP regional women’s leader praised the vandalism by the youth and said it will bring the attention of national leadership to find a lasting resolution to the confusion that continues to grip the programme in the region.
“I was happy when I heard it because I want Otiko to know she is not the only northern woman to be minister- Hajia Alimah is also a minister, Hawa Koomson; why is that you alone don’t want peace in the Northern region? Why are always crashing heads and engaging in tribalism, what kind of human being are you? So when I heard the office has been locked, it has become necessary, and when it gets to the national leadership they will see how low Otiko has reduced us the party leaders in the region.
“Because all the women she denied are those who stood behind and supported the party to win more seats in the region and you are appointing those you like into the feeding, do you think you own the government? Don’t you know you are just an appointee? We suffered and you are lucky to have such chance and want to misuse it,” she lamented.
