Oye Lithur should rather be arrested... - Baby Ansaba

Managing Editor of the Punch newspaper, Ebenezer Ato Sam, has taken a swipe at the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur, for unleashing her venom on her Deputy, Ms Rachel Florence Appoh and the Director of Social Welfare, Christian Babooroh.

The Minister on Tuesday reportedly sought to display her power when she descended heavily on the two government officials for authorizing the release of an 18-month-old baby girl to Jennifer and Shirley, good Samaritans who rescued the child from her depressed mother.

Nana Oye Lithur allegedly threatened to cause their arrest should the two fail to retrieve the baby from her foster parents within 24 hours.

"When the baby was not returned at midday yesterday, Daily Guide learnt that Nana Oye, wife of President Mahama’s lawyer in the election petition, Tony Lithur, repeated her threat saying the officers must look for the baby girl who had been placed under the care of foster parents or find themselves in trouble.

"Deputy Minister Rachel Florence Appoh then quickly placed a call to the foster parents, Shirley and Jennifer, to bring the baby named Shirley-Jen, after the two ladies took her from the ‘mad’ mother after the Osu Children’s Home refused her custody."

Speaking to Daily Guide, the Deputy Minister corroborated the story but disclosed that the arrest was not targeted at her, but at Mr. Babooroh.

She told the newspaper that "Last night the Social Welfare Director called me that the Minister (Oye Lithur) is saying that she will arrest him if he does not bring the child today (yesterday) by 10:00am. Seriously, I panicked, I could not even talk, I was even short of words.

“I don’t know how she managed to get Jennifer and Shirley into her office, a whole lot. I don’t know if they’re there with you, you can beg them for us."

Rachel, who is in charge of Social Welfare, further stated: “It’s not the Director of Social Welfare. I authorized the Social Welfare Director to rescue this baby. To be fair, I have not spoken with my minister, it was the director not me. She called the director last night that she will arrest him if he does not bring the child today, so the director called me.”

But addressing the issue on Oman FM's political analysis programme, the Punch editor, also called Baby Ansaba, made it emphatic that the Minister's misconduct has brought her office into disrepute.

According to him, the Minister has no power or whatsoever to issue such threats to her Deputy and the Director of Social Welfare for doing their job.

He therefore was of a strong view that Nana Oye Lithur should be arrested in the stead of the two officials.

“If there’s somebody who has to be arrested and questioned, it’s the Minister.” he insisted.

He explained; “She has no power in the first place to order the arrest of her Deputy, not even the arrest of the Director of the Social Welfare; for what purpose? What illegality has the man perpetuated? What illegality has he involved himself except to say that the child’s mother is unhealthy, so take her away and when we need her, we will come for her?”

To him, the Minister did not display "any of the traits, the humble traits of the President I know. If anything, Mahama should call her and scold her for the blatant and sheer display of the power she does not have. What power do you have as the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection?”