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Two more chiefs have registered their protest against the nomination of visually impaired Dr. Seidu Danaa as Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs Minister.
Seikwahene Nana Kwaku Dwomo Ankoana II was the first to protest Dr. Danaa’s nomination publicly, saying it was an abomination to choose a physically-challenged person to interact between government and chiefs.
Persons living with disability in Ghana descended on him for his protestation, but that did not stop Nana Yeboah Asuamah III of Adom in the Berekum Traditional area, and Offinso Ampabamhene Barima Takyie Abiam from expressing similar sentiments.
Nana Yeboah Asuamah III told Adom News he did not doubt the competence of Dr. Danaa, but to the extent that all institutions in the country have different criteria for recruiting human resource, it was also necessary for the president to have recognized that the various traditional areas in the country have diverse cultures regarding what different categories of persons are allowed and or not allowed to do.
He noted that in the security services, for instance, people of a certain height cannot be recruited, so if the police refused to recruit competent short person, or persons suffering from stunted growth, that could not be described as discrimination.
“It is the just rules in the security services and no one is raising any objection to that but when chiefs say they are required by tradition not to allow persons living with disability into their palaces then we are accused of discriminating against such persons,” he said.
On his part, Barima Takyie Abiam lauded President John Mahama for his all-inclusive approach to recruiting people into government but pointed out that the chiefs are required by tradition to keep certain persons off their palaces and that cannot be tampered with.
He said the National House of Chiefs (NHC) may have announced their acceptance of Dr. Danaa’s nomination, but there are several chiefs across the country, who may not be members of the NHC but have their own traditions to protect.
“Some of us are bound by very strong traditions not to deal directly with persons living with disability so it would be difficult to allow this imposition even if the NHC agrees to work with Dr. Danaa,” he said.
Barima Takyie Abiam said he also does not doubt the competence of Dr. Danaa, but the President could have appointment him to any other ministry, or precisely to a ministry where he would see to the affairs of disabled persons instead of interacting with chiefs and traditional leaders.
Meanwhile Dr. Danaa is due to face the Parliamentary Vetting Committee on Friday, February 8, 2012.
The President has shown in the case of Nana Oye Lithur that he would remain with his guts rather than listen to public outcry about his appointments. But some opinion leaders have suggested that if the President defied the chiefs and confirms Dr. Danaa’s appointment, some chiefs are likely to adopt excuses to avoid him.
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