Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Otiko Afisa Djaba is leaving her position as the National Women's Organiser for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), she has hinted.
According to her, though she could seamlessly handle both positions, she needed enough time to deal with the problems confronting the Gender Ministry.
"It's not difficult but there isn't enough time. The Ministry is huge and issues like child prostitution, kayayei, and child trafficking" need much time to be dealt with, she said in an interview on Joy News TV, adding that "so I've written to the party that my deputy, Dina Karikari should act as the women's organiser".Â
Her decision comes on the back of her much-criticised public spat with the NPP's Northern Regional Chairman, Daniel Bugri Naabu.
READ ALSO:Â Bugri Naabu scuttles Otiko's "illegal meeting"
Ms Djaba and Mr Naabu have been engaged in a war of words since last Friday after the latter, in the company of some party sympathisers, disrupted a meeting organised by the former in the Northern Regional capital of Tamale.
According to Mr Naabu, Ms Djaba disrespected his authority by failing to inform him about the meeting, which he believed was a plot to undermine the Presidents’ nominee to head the school feeding programme in the region.
It took the intervention of the police to avoid clashes between supporters of the two.
In her defence, the Gender Minister who is also the National Women's Organiser of the NPPÂ said she was in Tamale to meet women groups on behalf of the First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo and it had nothing to do with the school feeding programme.
The incident which degenerated into personal attacks has brought the NPP into public ridicule leading President Nana Akufo-Addo to intervene.
READ ALSO:Â Otiko apologises after meeting Akufo-Addo
The Gender Minister has subsequently apologised for her conduct. Though she has pointed to the inadequacy of time as her reason for leaving the National Women's Organiser role, it is suspected that she was impressed upon by President Akufo-Addo to drop it as there had been concerns that Mr Naabu might have confused Ms Djaba's position as Minister with her party position.
Meanwhile, the National Council is scheduled to meet Mr Naabu and Ms Djaba today over the incident.