Who Will Call Our Second Lady Matilda Amissah-Arthur To Order?

By Thomas Owiredu

Somebody ought to call Ghana's Second Lady, Matilda Amissah-Arthur to order! She is turning over-stepping her bounds as far as her position as Second Lady is concerned.
It really did not occur to me that our Second Lady was over-stepping her bounds until a diplomat in Accra mentioned it to me in October last year. Since then, two other diplomats have also expressed their concern about the activities of the Second Lady. But, so as not to be seen to be interfering in the internal activates of Ghana, they have kept mute over it. I can well guess the sinister jokes therefore that our Presidency is being subjected to on the quiet as a result.
As a son of the soil, I deem it my duty to bring the concerns expressed to the notice of those whose duty it is to call the Second Lady to order. And here, I am referring to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the State Protocol Department, the Chief of Staff and of course the Vice-President, Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur whose duty it is to check and advise his wife.
The concerns expressed are the way the Second Lady is acting as if she is competing with the First Lady, Lordina Mahama. Since she became the First Lady, Lordina Mahama has dedicated herself to humanitarian work. We hear reports, read and see pictures of her frequently donating assorted items to orphanages and medical equipment to hospitals, especially those that cater for children. All of a sudden, bingo, the Second Lady has also decided to be involved in similar humanitarian works, donating items to hospitals especially children hospitals. This is really unfortunate. Why will she be doing things that show her as competing with the First Lady? This is unacceptable!
All over the world, the role of Vice-Presidents are mainly ceremonial. The vice-President has no agenda. His work is only to assist the President and act on his behalf in his absence. The Vice-President cannot act as if he is competing with the President. He must stay in the background and support the President to execute the mandate given them. This is where all Second Ladies take cue from, staying therefore in the background and not engaging in activities that will give the impression they are competing with the First Lady or trying to undo her. It is for this reasons that Second Ladies during the Nkrumah and Hilla Limann were relatively unknown. They mostly stayed in the background, engaging in a few activities here and then instead of being seen all over the place as if Competing with the First Lady.
In almost every country one can think of, Second Ladies take a back stage. Why else is the Second Lady of the U.S. relatively unknown but the First Lady Michelle Obama is very well known? We remember First Ladies Hillary Clinton and Barbara Bush during Bill Clinton and George Bush's Administrations but how many people remember who the Second Ladies were? This speaks volumes of how Second Ladies must hold themselves.
When Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings was the First Lady, Naadu Mills kept a low profile, never doing anything to paint the impression she was competing with the former.
When Theresah Kufuor became Second Lady between 2001 and 2008 Second Lady, Ramatu Mahama kept a low profile. And when Naadu became First Lady, Lordina Mahama kept a low profile. Why is Matilda Amissah-Arthur not observing the same convention observed by all other Second Ladies of Ghana before her and observed by all other Second Ladies all over the world? To be so active and even go into an area the First Lady is operating in is unfortunate.
Matilda Amissah Arthur must know that she is not the First Lady or co-First Lady. Ghana can have only One First Lady at a time. Currently, that First Lady is Lordina Mahama. She is the Second Lady and must behave as such, knowing her limits
This is not to say the Second Lady must not engage in any form of activities. And here is where State Protocol Department (SPD) comes in. It is their duty to regulate the activities of the Second Lady, making sure that it does not clash with that of the First Lady. It is their duty to educate the Second Lady on how far she can go and the boundaries thereof. Obviously, the Director of State protocol is not doing his duties.
THE Foreign Minister, Ms Hannah Tetteh cannot escape blame either. If the SPD has failed to do their job, she as Foreign Minister must step in and advise the Second Lady because the international community is watching. The biggest blame, however, must go to the Chief of Staff, Prosper Bani, and the Vice-President, Amissah Arthur. As the Director of Administration in the government, it is he who must make sure that everybody operates within his or her boundaries. The Chief of Staff cannot pretend that he has not realized that the Second Lady is behaving as though she is the First Lady. I wonder what the First Lady, Lordina Mahama feels seeing the Second Lady misbehaving. Yes, the Second Lady's actions constitute misbehavior. But of more serious significance is the inaction of the Vice-President. If anybody must check his wife, it is him. Why has he allowed his wife to go berserk, wandering all over the place as though she was the First Lady?
As for Matilda Amissah Arthus, she must ask herself if she would take it lightly if she is First Lady and the Second Lady is behaving the way he is behaving now? Lordina Mahama, for obvious reason would keep mute over her activities but the issue is not about her as a person. It is about her office. The office of the Second Lady cannot be equal or above that of the First Lady. It does not happen anywhere.
By the way, I am hearing that she is a mean character and even went to the extent of sacking her Lady-in-waiting last year simply because the Lady did not openly show sympathy for her after she sprained her uncle. I hear her staffers are murmuring at the way she easily dismisses them. Her husband is a respected gentleman who is loved by many and does not deserve such an attitude from his wife. Such actions injure her husband image.
Second Lady Matilda Amissah-Arthur must check herself. If she won't, I expect state protocol, the Chief of Staff, the Foreign Minister or her husband to bring her to order. Or they are afraid of her?