In a recent turn of events, Henry Osei Akoto, a prominent member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the 2020 parliamentary candidate for the Oforikrom constituency, has vehemently called for the immediate removal of Upper East Regional Minister Stephen Yakubu.
This demand comes on the heels of the minister’s controversial comments regarding the 24-hour economy proposed by NDC’s flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama.
During a public event over the weekend, Minister Yakubu dismissed the NDC’s 24-hour economy policy, suggesting that its implementation could pose a threat to marriages in the region.
He argued that the predominantly farming male population would be occupied around the clock, leaving limited time for spousal intimacy.
Expressing his astonishment, Osei Akoto questioned the appropriateness of such comments from a minister of state in a public setting.
He emphasized that Yakubu’s remarks were not only insensitive but also raised concerns about his suitability for the position.
In an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb, Henry Osei Akoto insisted that the minister’s statements warranted immediate action, calling for his dismissal. The controversy adds fuel to the ongoing debate surrounding the feasibility and societal impacts of the proposed 24-hour economy policy.
As this development unfolds, political observers are closely monitoring the response of both the government and opposition, as public figures continue to express their views on the matter.
“In fact, I just can’t understand how a minister of state can stand in front of the public and make this kind of pronouncement that we are going to lose our wives when we go on this 24-hour economy. I mean, this is nonsensical. This minister should be sacked with immediate effect.
“You don’t do this. Wherever he’s travelled around the world, he himself knows that every economy is running a 24-hour shift. Why would he come and tell us that if we go on a 24-hour economy shift, we are going to lose our wives? This is barbaric; this shouldn’t come from a minister of state. I’m very disappointed in his statement and he should be condemned for those comments,” he stated.
What the regional minister said
“The vice president is saying that he understands the region. He says that this 24-hour economy, my brothers, when we work in the farms and we are tired in the night we have to sleep with our wives.
“We have to be with our wives. In the night you want us to go and be farming and then people will come and take our wives away?” the minister questioned amidst shouts of no from his audience.