Retirement @ 56

News that Minister for Gender and Social Protection, Otiko Afisa Djaba, had decided to quit ‘active politics to enjoy life with her family’ has generated a lot of discussion, particularly in mainstream and social media.

Her reason, which sounded understandable, was to take care of her ex-husband who had suffered stroke for the past six years.

Currently, the news is soaking much ink in the newspapers for several reasons: First, it is (probably) the first time in the Fourth Republic that a person of her calibre had ‘rejected’ reappointment by no less a person than the President of the Republic of Ghana.

Interestingly, while a section of the media has described her action as a ‘resignation’, others insist it is a ‘retirement’.

But whichever way one looks at it, the action she has taken is worth discussing because it brings to the fore the issue of retirement age.

She had not stated that she had resigned from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), but going by her words that she wanted to relax and enjoy with her family, it is apt to describe her action as a retirement.

What is, however strange is why she has to retire at this ‘unripe’ age of fifty-six, when many octogenarians are walking on the corridors of power, lobbying for appointments.

Was she displeased with recent reshuffle that requested her to serve Ghana in Italy?

It would be recalled that her appointment faced initial hiccups with the minority boycotting her vetting. They first argued that she was not fit for the office because she failed to do her National Service, but later changed the goal post, and accused her of failing to withdraw her description of the then president John Mahama in 2016 as extremely wicked, evil, corrupt, a failure, and an embarrassment to the people of the Northern region.

In her defense, Otiko said that she did not regret her choice of words and that she had nothing to apologize because she believed her comments were non-provocative.

She later got involved in a public verbal altercation with then NPP Northern regional chairman, Bugri Naabu, of which critics said gave the party and government negative publicity. All these may become history if the ‘NPP Iron Lady’ does not budge to calls to rescind her decision.

Strong as she may be, records indicate this was not the first time Otiko had to take a stance on something she was not pleased with. Early this year, announced she had had enough with social network, Facebook, because according to her, the platform was fostering unhealthy discussion on her wall, and that some fraudsters had created fake profiles of her which they use to defraud innocent people.

Meanwhile, even though Otiko says her decision is official, government sources say they are not aware of her decision to say bye to politics.

Having followed political activism for so many years, and knowing her for who she is, THE PUBLISHER is shocked that a resilient and thick-skinned lady like Otiko Afisa Djaba would walk away from what she had fought for all her life.

Even in opposition, she managed to multi-task her roles of nursing her ailing husband and touring the country to win power for her ‘beloved’ party.

The paper thinks this is not the way to end the game.