“I represented the President, not myself” – Nana Yaa Jantuah responds to Afenyo-Markin’s remark

Presidential Staffer Nana Yaa Akyenpim Jantuah says she is disappointed that Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin publicly described her as a “nobody” during the presentation of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) petition at the Jubilee House. According to her, the comment was not only disrespectful but also undermined the office she represented at the time. Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosiisen on Thursday, August 6, Nana Yaa Jantuah said she was shocked that the Minority Leader could make such a remark about her in the presence of the media and other party officials.

“I’m so mortified that you could stand there and look in the face of a woman and tell that woman she is nobody. I just cannot comprehend what happened.” She explained that she was at the Jubilee House not in her personal capacity but as a representative of President John Mahama. “The President says this is the person that I have given power to receive the petition.

Is it the President that you are insulting that you don’t respect?” Nana Yaa Jantuah said President Mahama selected her to receive the petition because the Chief of Staff and other senior government officials were unavailable due to their participation in the August 6 commemoration ceremony. She added that the Presidency could have assigned any official, including security personnel at the Jubilee House, but chose her because she was considered fit for the role. “He didn’t ask a security man because they are a lot at the Jubilee House.

He didn’t ask a cleaner.” She maintained that Mr Afenyo-Markin’s remarks showed a lack of respect for women and public office. “NPP wants respect, but they don’t know how to give respect, especially to women.” Presidential Staffer Nana Yaa Akyenpim Jantuah has responded to Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin’s criticism over her role in receiving the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) petition, saying she would not have been offended if his comments had been made privately.

Mr Afenyo-Markin had questioned the decision by the Presidency to assign Nana Yaa Jantuah to receive the petition following the NPP’s “Democracy Under Attack” demonstration, describing the move as disrespectful to the party. But speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosiisen on Thursday, August 6, Nana Yaa Jantuah said the concern was not necessarily the description used against her, but the fact that it was made publicly in the presence of journalists and political actors. “If Afenyo-Markin had used ‘nobody’ remarks privately, I wouldn’t be angry.

If he had told me this off air, I wouldn’t be hurt,” she said. She questioned why the Minority Leader chose to make the comment in front of media personnel covering the event. “Look at the number of media personnel on the ground and everywhere.