Chief of Staff orders suspension of presidential staffer over anti-foot soldier comment

Chief of Staff Akosua Frema Osei-Opare has written an official letter to Mr Eugene Owusu, Special Advisor to the President on SDGs, to suspend his employee, Dr Louise Carol Serwaa Donkor, who is a Policy and Communication Analyst at the Presidency following the latter’s anti-foot soldier comments she passed recently.

Ms Osei-Opare said Dr Donkor, who is also a member of female advocacy group, Pepperdem Ministries, has misconducted herself hence the request for her suspension.

In the letter dated 12 June 2018 the Chief of Staff noted that her attention “has been drawn to some unsavoury comments attributed to Dr Louise Carol Serwaa Donkor, the Policy and Communication Analyst, at your outfit

“These comments sought to disparage a section of the Ghanaian society, a conduct which is unacceptable to this Office.

“Consequently, you are directed to suspend Dr Donkor from office for a period of thirty days beginning the 13th day of June, 2018.

“Further, she is required to render, in writing, an unconditional apology and commit to good behaviour”.

Just on Sunday, 10 June, Mr Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) said it is “stupidity” for Dr Louise Donkor to have denigrated foot soldiers who worked hard to ensure victory for the NPP.

According to him, such attitude smacks of gross political immaturity.

Dr Louise Carol Serwaa Donkor had said in response to a post about not dealing with foot soldiers that: “You shouldn’t”, and encouraged her friend who posted it that: “You can’t reason with them [foot soldiers]”.

“It’s like tribalist”, she added. She has since apologised for her comments.

Weighing in on the matter, Mr Otchere-Darko, wrote on Facebook that: “I hold no brief for a young woman who owes her appointment to an election victory won largely by those who in various ways did the legwork and/or heavy-lifting to make it happen and yet decided to diss them.

“She showed gross political immaturity (in fact, stupidity) by denigrating party foot soldiers the way she did – totally unprovoked by them. She has apologised. I suspect this week has been one of her worst, if not the worst, in her entire young life. I hope so! Hey guys! Move on! Surely, you can’t care much about a lady who chose to merely gargle from the fountain of political wisdom to hate her that much. She cannot be worth your precious emotions until she learns how to drink from that fountain. Move on! Show you have better things to focus on. If you do go to Church today and perchance ask for forgiveness, I hope you expect the Almighty to be merciful. How much more you! Show strength, people!”