Lydia Alhassan Gets Emotional During Vetting When Asked To Comment On Ayawaso By-Election Violence

• MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon Lydia Alhassan was left upset by a question on the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence in 2019
• Lydia Alhassan was asked to comment on the issue by Minority Leader Cassiel Ato Forson
• The Ayawaso West Wuogon MP was being vetted for the Sanitation and Water Resources portfolio

Lydia Alhassan, the MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon, was left very emotional when the topic of the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence came up during her vetting for the sanitation minister position.

When asked for a comment on the violence by Minority Leader Cassiel Ato Forson, she referenced her reception in Parliament, where she was insulted by minority MPs during her first appearance in Parliament.

"We all remember how I was received the first day I stepped foot in Parliament."A woman who was in pain, grieving."

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The Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election was necessitated by the death of her husband, Emmanuel Kwabena Kyeremanteng Agyarko.

Alhassan stressed that she played no part in the violence and was “nowhere near when the incident occurred.”

“I pray what happened on that day should never happen to any person trying to represent his or her people."

She had to take a long pause during her submission after reminding that she was a grieving widow at the time, prompting some words of comfort from the committee.

During the exchange, the Bekwai MP, Joseph Osei-Owusu, tried to calm her, saying, “these are emotional matters, so take it cool.”

The by-election on Thursday, January 31 2019, saw violence at the La-Bawaleshie Presby polling station near the residence of the NDC's candidate at the time, Delali Kwasi Brempong.

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The violence left a number of people with serious injuries.

Women elevated during reshuffle

YEN.com.gh reported that five women received new appointments during President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's ministerial reshuffle.

Fatimatu Abubakar was notably promoted from deputy information minister to information minister.

Ophelia Mensah Hayford was nominated as the new Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister.

The new Gender, Children and Social Protection minister is legislator Dakoa Newman while the new deputy Health Minister is Adelaide Ntim.

A press release from the presidency on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, outlined the sacked ministers, those reassigned and newly appointed.

Source: YEN.com.gh