Leave Otiko Djaba Alone!...To Manage Her Disability Foundation (EDMOND GYEBI WRITES)

It is quite disheartening and increasingly unacceptable how some unscrupulous political nonentities are hiding behind social media to demonize, denigrate or drag the unblemished reputation of some accomplished personalities like Dr. Otiko Afisah Djaba into deep gutters.

I was highly dumbfounded when I came across a useless, baseless and cynically mischievous write up purported to be a translation of an audio recording from a fictional interview granted by Dr. Otiko Djaba on Asempa FM.

In the first place, my checks from Asempa FM revealed that they have not granted any on-air or off-air interview with Otiko Djaba concerning the nomination of Prof Jane Naana Opoku Agyeman, the 2020 running mate to the flagbearer of NDC, Mr. John Dramani Mahama.

I wonder why anybody in his or her right frame of mind will want to preposterously concoct such a blatant falsehood and associate the Executive Director of the Henry Djaba Memorial Foundation, and multiple award-winning gender and women advocate of international repute with such a silly comment.

If indeed the intention of the writer is not just for mischief but to get people to rally behind Prof Jane Naana Opoku Agyeman because she is a woman, why then is he denigrating another woman [Otiko Djaba] and spreading falsehood about her? Is it not childish and utterly senseless for anyone to want to promote women’s interest, and at the same time insult a woman?

For the records, Dr. Otiko Afisah Djaba has since 2018 openly announced her retirement from active politics; and has vowed not to comment, discuss or meddle in politics at any level until she decides otherwise.

I must emphasise that her retirement from active politics is not a retirement from the NPP. Otiko Djaba has not abandoned her love for the NPP and could not therefore make such discrediting comments against the party or Mr. Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of NPP.

It is therefore disgraceful and inconceivably regrettable for anyone to ever imagine that he or she can capitalise on the vociferous nature of the former NPP National Women's Organiser to score cheap political points or create sharp disaffection between her and the NPP.

The former Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection has been insulted, wrongly tagged, demonised and vilified enough during her days in active politics and must be allowed to enjoy her retirement and private life.

The once rejected stone has become a precious cornerstone for hundreds of persons with disability and vulnerable women in Ghana and across Africa.

Dr. Otiko Afisah Djaba is now touching, transforming and impacting many lives at her little corner with the help of her Foundation.

And the silent voices of the many vulnerable and disabled persons who are dependent on Otiko's munificence will cry against her detractors.

The false publication has regrettably gone viral on social media and on some mushroom online portals like OperaNews.Com. But the truth is that, Dr. Otiko Afisah Djaba has NOT published, spoken or issued any such statement about Mr. Wontumi or the NPP as attributed to her.

I thus appeal to anyone mentioned in that fake and useless write up especially Chairman Wontumi to disregard it completely, and also see it as one of the usual machinations of Otiko's haters.