A showdown between the National Coordinator of Ghana’s School Feeding Programme, Mrs Gertrude Quashigah and Gender Minister Sarah Adwoa Safo has led to a standoff which results in that the Gender Minister has refused to report to work after spending less than 5 months in office.
Sarah Adwoa Safo underestimated the School Feeding boss, Mrs Gertrude Quarshigah who is also the widow of the late Major Courage Quarshigah when she asked the former to leave her post upon assuming office as Gender Minister in March 2021.
The powers behind Mrs Quarshigah proved more powerful than Adwoa Safo imagined, MyNewsGh.com was told by insiders.
Mrs Quarshigah’ was reinstated less than 24 hours after Adwoa Safo sacked her by an official letter dated Tuesday, May 18, 2021, which Adwoa Safo considered an affront to her authority as a minister.
The first letter which was addressed to Mrs Quashigah said “this to inform you of the termination of your appointment as the National Coordinator of the Ghana School Feeding Programme. You will be paid one month’s salary in lieu of notice as stipulated in your contract agreement”.
The letter further directed Mrs Quashigah to hand it over to the Chief Director of the Gender Ministry. No reason was assigned for her removal at the time
But in a rather dramatic turn, in what insiders revealed was a power struggle between powerful godfathers in the NPP, Mrs Quashigah triumphed. The new minister was ordered to reinstate the School Feeding boss immediately or she herself risked her own sack.
Mrs Gertrude Quashigah, was officially named national coordinator of the programme in March 2020 after taking over from Dr Kwame Adu-Nsiah who was also fired as MyNewsGh.com reported at the time.
MCE wahala
MyNewsGh.com was told Adwoa Safo’s wahala is far from over as her choice of Municipal Chief Executive for the Ga East Municipal which covers her constituency is being hounded out even before she took office.
President Nana Akufo-Addo nominated Adwoa Safo’s girl as Municipal Chief Executive Officer for the Ga East Municipal Assembly, Elizabeth Kaakie Mann.
But her confirmation is pending over claims she did not obtain a degree from the University of Professional Studies (UPSA) as she wrote on her CV.
Adwoa Safo who is on leave while having a good day tiktoking is believed to hold the view that Kaakie Mann is being hounded because of her, Adwoa Safo.
Reports say Elizabeth Kaakie Mann’s name is not on that list of UPSA graduates for the year in question.
Further checks from the Academic Affairs Directorate of UPSA by those interested revealed that Elizabeth Kaakie Mann was never a student of UPSA at any point in time between 2009 and 2012.
Others yet still say Adwoa Safo rather preferred the outgone MCE who was not renominated.
On Leave
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo extended the leave of absence from office for Adwoa Safo yesterday.
In a statement dated Wednesday, October 6, 2021, signed and issued by the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Mr Eugene Arhin, it was explained that Ms Safo’s leave was to have ended September 30, 2021.
Ms Safo had sought leave of absence for personal reasons.
In her absence and until further notice, President Akufo-Addo has directed the Minister for Sanitation, Cecilia Abena Dapaah to act as caretaker Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection,” the statement added.
While on leave, Ms Adwoa Safo has been sharing some videos of her on Tiktok in the last one week.
