When the Minister-designate for the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo appeared before the Appointments Committee of Parliament for public hearing on matters relating to the ministry, many thought she was going to be grilled same way as others who had earlier appeared before the Committee.
However, to their surprise, she was treated with kid’s gloves, thereby, spending little time to respond to some pressing questions on issues that needed immediate attention.
Her early discharge from the Committee was initiated by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Asewase and Minority Chief Whip, Hon. Mohammed Mubarak-Muntaka.
The Asewase lawmaker is usually noted for asking probing questions to get the best out of ministerial nominees but at Wednesday’s public hearing, he surprised many by declining to tow his usual line.
He told the nominee that he doesn’t want to be accused by her new born baby for keeping her long before the Committee.
“Mr. Chairman, the nominee is a former deputy Leader of this House, a former Vice-Chair of the Committee, and Mr. Chairman, I know that she was recently blessed with a new born baby and I wouldn’t want the baby to accuse us of keeping her long. I have a lot concerns and I will discuss them with her. I will just wish her well”, he noted.
The MP for Effutu and deputy Majority Leader, Hon. Alexander Afenyo Markin also declined to question the nominee on any issue relating to the portfolio she has been designated to.
But what got many giggling was the ‘Kokofu Ball’ mantra espoused by the Chairman of the Committee and First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Joseph Osei Owusu after expressing his happiness with members on the Committee that the nominee hails from Asante Bekwai which is one of the towns in the his constituency, proclaiming that the nominee is therefore his sister and will be hoping that his constituents benefit under her stewardship at the Ministry.
“… stated in your CV that ‘Hometown – Asante Bekwai’ and you have declared it openly. Ah, I’m happy. You know within the Bekwai Municipality there is a town known as Kokofu and there is a saying that ‘Kokofu Ball, wonoa enimu a, yen pass wo’ (to wit you only get a pass when you have a family member in a team). So, today my sister has come here. Don’t tell everybody. I’m asking you our school feeding quantities. We will discuss that later”, he jokingly said drawing laughter from members on the Committee.
He declined asking any question to solicit an answer from Hon. Adwoa Safo and further went ahead to discharge her.
