Presidential Staffer Nana Yaa Akyenpim Jantuah has responded to Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin’s criticism over her role in receiving the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) petition, saying she would not have been offended if his comments had been made privately.

Mr Afenyo-Markin had questioned the decision by the Presidency to assign Nana Yaa Jantuah to receive the petition following the NPP’s “Democracy Under Attack” demonstration, describing the move as disrespectful to the party.

But speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosiisen on Thursday, August 6, Nana Yaa Jantuah said the concern was not necessarily the description used against her, but the fact that it was made publicly in the presence of journalists and political actors.

“If Afenyo-Markin had used ‘nobody’ remarks privately, I wouldn’t be angry. If he had told me this off air, I wouldn’t be hurt,” she said.

She questioned why the Minority Leader chose to make the comment in front of media personnel covering the event.

“Look at the number of media personnel on the ground and everywhere. What is he talking about?” she asked.

Nana Yaa Jantuah said she has always shown respect to Mr Afenyo-Markin during their engagements and expected the same in return.

“I give you a lot of respect when I see you, but you don’t want to give respect,” she stated.

She further argued that the comments were not only directed at her but also questioned President John Dramani Mahama’s decision to nominate her as the government representative to receive the NPP’s petition.

According to her, the focus should have remained on the issues raised in the petition rather than the individual assigned to receive it.

Afenyo-Markin’s concerns

During the presentation of the petition, the Minority Leader said the choice of Nana Yaa Jantuah as the recipient did not reflect the seriousness of the concerns raised by the opposition party.

“With great respect to you and without prejudice to your presence, to nominate only you to come amounts to disrespecting us as a political party,” he said.

Mr Afenyo-Markin pointed to the presence of senior NPP officials and parliamentary leaders at the demonstration, arguing that a higher-ranking government representative should have received the petition.

“I’m the leader of the party in Parliament. You have the General Secretary of the party here. You have the Chief of Staff of the flagbearer. We have the Chairman of the Constitutional Affairs Committee of the party,” he stated.

He added that members of Parliament and party leadership had participated in the demonstration and believed the government’s response should have reflected the significance of the issues being presented.

“But to disrespect our democracy by only nominating you to come, like I said, with great deference to you, it doesn’t match it,” he said.

The NPP staged the “Democracy Under Attack” demonstration on Thursday, August 6, to present petitions to the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary over concerns including alleged selective justice, politically motivated arrests and threats to democratic governance.

The Presidency has not announced any further action regarding the petition submitted by the opposition party.