The Deputy Agric Minister, William Quaitoo, has rendered an unqualified apology for describing some Northern ethnic groups as “difficult people”.
According to him, the comment was unfortunate and rash.
The Deputy Minister who’s also MP for Akim Oda has had to apologize after calls on him by the Member of Parliament for Builsa South Dr. Clement Apaak to do so.
“I think the comments made by the Deputy Agric minister are most unfortunate and very reprehensible and most demeaning to the several millions of farmers in the Northern part who have year in, year out contributed to substantially not only to feed us but also to keep a lot of the youth in that part of country employed”.
Hon. Quaitoo later in a statement pleaded with Ghanaians to forgive him.
Below are details of the statement
APOLOGY AND RETRACTION OF STATEMENT
During an interview with Star FM on Thursday 25 September, 2017on Fall Army Worm (FAW) invasion of farms, I unconciousely said that “the people of the North are difficult people, I lived with them, and I know them. This is just to take money from the Government.”
I UNRESERVEDLY, RETRACT AND APOLOGIZE SINCERELY FOR THIS UNFORTUNATE STATEMENT AND PRAY ALL AND SUNDRY TO FORGIVE ME ON THIS SCORE.
Yes, I lived in Northern Region for 27 years and had all my formative years there. I often pride myself as a Dagomba and identify with them at all times. I cannot there consciously spite them.
Based on my past experience on Farmer Based projects, I meant to say some farmers can be difficult as it is with all Regions.
The question posed to me was whether the Agric. Ministry will compensate farmers who claim to have lost their investment due to FAW invasion. I answered that destruction of farms by FAW in the north was something I could not comprehend unless it is physically proven. This is because the north has only one planting season and this begins in June. In June, the Ministry had prepared fully (chemicals, trainings and human resources) to treat any farm that will be infested with FAW. So I expect that no such report will come from real farmers from the north if they really follow the defind FAW regime of the Ministry. I concluded that any farmer who reported and proved any loses to FAW will be attended to by the Ministry.
I thank all and sundry who follow my works and actions and pointed out this misttake to me. I ONCE AGAIN, SINCERELY RETRACT AND APOLOGIZE FOR MY UNGURDED STATEMENT.
I urge you all to continue to correct me on my duties. Thank you.
Signed
HON. WILLIAM A. QUAITTOO
DEP. MINISTER, AGRIC.
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Pls let's forgive our brother and pray he shouldn't make such a mistake again. Even if some few section of a particular tribe or ethnic group do something he shouldn't generalized it or based it on tribalism or better he shouldn't be making tribal sentiments for it is dangerous for people to be doing that we are all humans each human being no matter the tribe or ethnic, must be respected. I pray that God help unite our beloved Country Ghana.
Thnaks Mr. Minister for showing humility.Choice your words carefully next time round.
The Minister's statements reveal a lot. Speaking as a person from the "South", he distinguishes himself from the "People of the North". "I" lived with "them". He "unconciously" made an "ungurded statement". He reveals the government's "subconcious attitude" as a government of the "South". This reveals the "discrimination" that the People of the "north" have suffered for years at the hand of the people of the south. Dagomba versus Akim. The "demeaning" of the Akims against other "ethnic" groups in Ghana is pervasive.
The best Nana can do RELIEVE him from of his post. Let not the opponents get us. SHARP!
People like Nasir are so tribalistic and are always looking for an opportunity to showcase what their trade in stock is. The man has unreservedly retracted his statement, apologies for it and is even asking us to forgive him. What's more humbling than this. Pls don't hide behind politics and stoke more fire in it. We're a serious country and wouldn't hypocrites like you to derail our democratic gains through trivialities. You are not more Northner than some of us.
Abundance of the heart.the mouth speaketh. NPP is a known tribal party ranging from matemeho to present day activists. You read what say and or write about other tribes. What baffles My mind is that they forget Dr Bawumia is also a borrowed northerner. Time will tell.
describing a particular group "difficult people" should not be consider as insult.
You better be skull boy minis -ter
Don't politicize this. It has got nothing to d with His Excellency the Vice Pee. Why would you not focus on the minister's magnanimity in humbly apologizing and even asking for further correction should he slip. Sometimes we are too clouded by politics that even when we have to wear a plain medicated glasses to see we choose to wear a dark glasses in a dark environment and report what we cannot even see as if we're seeing. I think this is shameful and won't help the progress of our dear Nation. Let us all see good and commend it and abhor the wrong condemning it. In this way we can make some great strides in our political discourse as well as seeking the forward movement of GHANA. GOD BLESS OUR HOMELAND GHANA AND MAKE OUR NATION GREAT AND STRONG!!!
Such an impudence of it. How there him. Anyways it is the genetic make up of the UP (NPP) tradition. The sensible and all-knowing NPP. I sometimes wonder what exactly Bawumia is doing there as a northner. how do they cope with such a difficult northner who cant comprehend anything at all.