Minority Leader Cassiel Ato Forson has hit back at Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, following the latter’s critique of former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo.
The former CJ joined pensioners on February 10, 2023 to picket at the Ministry of Finance offices in Accra demanding their total exclusion from government's Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).
Gabby in a series of tweets described her participation as among others, a big error on her part. He also questioned whether there was the need at all to engage in a picket over a DDEP that was voluntary according to the Ministry of Finance.
Reacting to Gabby's attack on the former CJ, Ato Forson, who is also Member of Parliament for Ajumako Enyan Essiam Constituency defended Madam Akuffo whiles pointing out that Gabby rather goofed with his reaction.
“It is Gabby rather who has goofed big time. As for me, the former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo has won my respect forever. Because for a country to develop, you need the right people to speak up at the right time.
“She has proven to be one person who has stood up for the country in these difficult times. This is a relative of President Akufo-Addo, she was appointed by him as a head of an arm of government.
“Someone who found it prudent to talk because Ghana was heading for destruction and she stood up and spoke. So what Gabby is doing, he should stop it,” Ato Forson said on Accra-based Power FM’s morning show on February 13, 2023.
Retired CJ Sophia Akuffo, joined the retirees picketing at the Ministry of Finance in Accra late last week.
The pensioners have been picketing at the premises of the ministry since Monday, February 6, 2023, over the government’s plan to involve their bonds in the DDEP.
Sophia Akufo was captured in a front-seat position at the premises of the Ministry holding a wooden placard.
Her placard read: “We use our bond yields to pay our: rent, medical bills, electricity, and water bills.”
On the other hand, Gabby Otchere-Darko, posted tweets challenging the propriety of Madam Akuffo’s actions.
According to him, the offer to self-exempt has been given to pensioners, therefore, there is no need to picket when they could just self-exempt.
In a series of tweets on February 12, 2023, he wrote: "The former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, may mean well but she erred big time in her basic appreciation of the issues. Rather than asking the Govt for exemption at this late hour, why did she simply not 'exempt' herself from exchanging her original bond for the new one!"
"Why picket over something you don't like (the improved offer) when you have the right not to sign up? Sorry, but I struggle to get her emotional outburst over exemption! I hope she won't volunteer to picket tomorrow and on the same issues when the time to sign up has expired," he added.
You can also watch this episode of People & Places here:
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Ex-CJ Sophia Akuffo and Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko