Otiko Afisa Djaba (born 21 January 1962) is a Ghanaian politician. Her previous engagement was the National Women's Organizer for the New Patriotic Party.[1][2][3][4][5] She was also the former minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection.
Hon. Otiko Afisa Djaba | |
|---|---|
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| Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection | |
| In office August 2017 – August 2018 | |
| President | Nana Akufo-Addo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 21, 1962 |
| Nationality | Ghanaian |
| Political party | New Patriotic Party |
| Relations | Joyce Bawah Mogtari (sister) |
Early life and education
editDjaba was born on 21 January 1962 to Henry Kojo Djaba and Rosalind Sheita Bawa at Koforidua in the Eastern Region of Ghana.[6][7] She is the second of twenty-one siblings.[8]
Djaba attended Tamale Secondary School (now Tamale Senior High School). She holds a diploma in communications and marketing from an institution in the United Kingdom. She has also had training as a computer systems analyst from a college in the United Kingdom.[8]
Political life
editIn 2008, Djaba contested the Bole Bamboi seat on the ticket of the NPP but lost to former president, John Dramani Mahama[9] and later became Women's Organizer of the New Patriotic Party.[10] She was appointed Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection in 2017.[11] In August 2018, she was appointed Ghana's ambassador to Italy but declined the offer.[12][13]
Otiko Djaba was named the 2018 Best African Gender Minister by a Los Angeles film maker, Ms Zuriel Elisie Oduwole, who doubles as an advocate for education.[14]
Opposition to ministerial position
editMinority legislators walked out of a voting process to approve Djaba's appointment as Gender, Children and Social Protection minister collectively stating that "they believe her temperament and attitude does not give [them] assurance that she will be able to better manage the affairs of Ghanaian children and women".[15] Prior to the 2016 general election in Ghana, Djaba had called on her Gonja tribes-people to vote John Mahama out because he has not being faithful to them,[16] describing him at a political rally in 2016 as “very wicked, incompetent and desperate".[17] She maintained that her comments were non-provocative and that she did "not owe anybody an apology", continuing to insist on her use of the same language to describe the former president.[18] Two other concerns were also raised by the opposition legislators: the first was about her violation of The Ghana National Service Scheme Act 426 section 7 which mandates all university graduates do a compulsory one year national service to the country before taking public office. The second was around her reiterating the assertion that Charlotte Osei offered sexual favors to Mahama in exchange for her position as Electoral Commission of Ghana chairperson.[19]
Despite opposition members walking out of the secret ballot, Djaba obtained 152 favorable votes in excess of the 50% required to secure her the position.[20]
Madam Otiko Afisa Djaba now hosts a Television Programme on TV3 dubbed “Let’s Talk Ability” [21]
Personal life
editOtiko is the elder sister of former Deputy Transport Minister Joyce Bawah Mogtari.[22]
References
edit- ^ "Did Otiko Djaba Earn The NPP National Women Organizer Position On Merit? – NDC Man Ask". Retrieved 2016-09-16.
- ^ Online, Peace FM. "Is Georgette Djaba, Otiko Djaba's Subject of Media Reference?". Retrieved 2016-09-16.
- ^ adomonline.com. "Ghana News - Otiko Djaba dissociates herself from sister's comments". ghana-news.adomonline. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
- ^ Myjoyonline.com. "Ghana News - Don't condemn Ken Agyapong; investigate allegations – Otiko Djaba". myjoyonline. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
- ^ Dankwah, Kwame (2017-02-07). "Otiko Evades Minority Resistance To Secure Ministerial Appointment". GhanaStar. Retrieved 2017-02-07.
- ^ "Henry Djaba's finest: Dede Djaba v. Otiko Afisa Djaba". ghanaweb. 12 November 2014. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
- ^ Djaba, Georgette. "Otiko Afisah Djaba - a remarkable and dynamic politician and ambassador for peace in the Northern Region". Retrieved 2016-09-16.
- ^ a b Quaicoe-Duho, Rebecca. "Otiko Djaba: A true politician - Graphic Online - | 2016". Retrieved 2016-09-16.
- ^ Quaicoe-Duho, Rebecca. "Otiko Djaba: A true politician - Graphic Online | Ghana News". Graphic Online. Retrieved 2017-02-09.
- ^ Myjoyonline.com. "Otiko Djaba thanks NPP Delegates - MyJoyOnline". myjoyonline. Retrieved 2017-02-18.
- ^ Online, Peace FM. "Otiko Djaba In New York..." mobile peace fm online. Retrieved 2017-02-04.
- ^ "Otiko Djaba rejects ambassador job". Retrieved 2018-10-11.
- ^ "Otiko rejects ambassadorial appointment, retires from politics". Citi Newsroom. 2018-08-21. Retrieved 2018-10-11.
- ^ "Hon. Otiko Djaba named 2018 Best African Gender Minister : Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection". www.mogcsp.gov.gh. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
- ^ Arku, Jasmine. "Why the Minority does not approve Otiko as Gender Minister - Graphic Online | Ghana News". Graphic Online. Retrieved 2017-02-08.
- ^ Allotey, Godwin Akweiteh (2016-09-01). "Otiko Djaba begs Gonjas to reject President Mahama". Ghana News. Retrieved 2017-02-08.
- ^ Myjoyonline.com (2017-01-30). "Update: SADA failure affected me, people of North - Otiko". Retrieved 2017-02-08.
- ^ "I don't owe "evil" Mahama any apology – Otiko". 30 January 2017. Retrieved 2017-02-08.
- ^ Effah, K. (2016-07-18). "Why Mahama's alleged relationship with EC boss must be probed". Yen - Ghana news. Retrieved 2017-02-08.
- ^ Myjoyonline.com (2017-02-07). "Otiko evades Minority resistance to secure ministerial appointment". Retrieved 2017-02-08.
- ^ "Former Gender Minister Otiko Djaba now TV show host". 4 June 2019.
- ^ "Akufo-Addo disrespected my sister - Joyce Bawa Mogtari". Ghanaweb. 2019-11-22. Retrieved 2020-10-25.