Minister of Communication and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful became the subject of social media critique after reports went viral that she had reportedly named a government project after her mother.
The inauguration of the Akim Oda Library and Digital Hub was graced by Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, with reports indicating that the facility had been named after the minister’s mother, Akua Brago Daiwuo, on the occasion of her 80th birthday.
Social media outrage
For most people lashing out at the Minister, they based their views on the fact that Ursula had supposedly chosen to honour her mother with a government project.
“Hi @UrsulaOw, what is this? How can you name a publicly funded facility after your mother?
“Look, use your money to build something and name it after her. This is unethical and beyond outrageous. Do better8,” one critic posted on Twitter with a link to a gbcghanaonline.com story.
Another said referencing the GBC story: “The facility was resourced by GIFEC a state organisation and you name it after your mother. These people errrrrrrrhhhhhh.”
Meanwhile, Accra-based TV channel, Onua TV, posted a photo of the minister hugging her mother with the caption: “Minister of Communication and Digitalisation Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has come under criticism for naming a library and tech hub after her mother
“The Christiana Akua Brago Diawuo Library and Tech Hub was inaugurated on Thursday, March 30 at Akim Oda in the Eastern Region.”
The facts:
Ministry newsletter article on the project
According to a Ministry of Communications Newsletter shared on their Twitter page on April 2, the minister established the facility and donated same to the community but that it was resourced by public and private agencies.
“The Library and ICT hub is a project established by the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful in honor of her mother’s 80th birthday.”
It continued: “The facility is fully equipped with digitalised e-learning materials including access to the internet connectivity laptops, desktops, e-library, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics essentials.”
The article stated that the project was established with the support of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), Ghana Library Authority (GhLA), MTN, Huawei and the Birim Central Municipal Assembly.
