Otiko Afisa Djaba[/caption] Two members of the opposition National Democratic Congress in Parliament have filed a suit at the Supreme Court seeking several declarations including a restraining order against Madam Otiko Afisa Djaba. The suit was filed today, February 9, 2017 by Kwabena Mintah Akandor, MP for Juaboso and Ernest Norgbey, MP for Ashaiman. They are praying the court that until the final determination of their case, Madam Otiko Djaba should be restrained from discharging her responsibility as the Minister of Children, Gender and Social Protection. The Attorney General and Madam Otiko Djaba are defendants in the case. The two, together with other Minority members in Parliament, boycotted the approval of Madam Otiko Djaba on Tuesday. Just like at the level of the Appointments Committee, she was approved by a majority decision from the government’s New Patriotic Party. President Akufo-Addo swore her in Tuesday evening immediately she secured the one-sided parliamentary approval. During her vetting, she refused to apologise for some uncomplimentary comments she made against former President Mahama whilst he was the president of Ghana. The two MPs said their suit has nothing to do with her unapologetic posture, but purely because she admitted that she never did her national service, which they said is a mandatory requirement for anyone who wants to serve in the public service. They are therefore seeking, “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.”
They 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”.
