Opinion: Clara Napaga Has Earned Her Keep, So Leave Her Alone! – By Kwame Okoampa-Ahoofe, Jr., Ph.D.

Clara Napaga Tia Sulemana, Staff at Ghana’s Presidency

As a rule, although I have a Facebook account and page, and have had it for several years now, I rarely use it, largely for some of the same reasons that recently got Ms. Clara Napaga Tia Sulemana in trouble with some job-seeking pests. Ms. Sulemana, of course, is the Akufo-Addo Presidential Staffer (See “Akufo-Addo’s Girl Under Pressure to Resign After Mocking Unemployed Graduates” Atinkaonline.com / Ghanaweb.com 12/31/17).

Asia 728x90

The story goes that the young Presidential Staffer had joined a Facebook thread on humor that asked participants to write about a pet peeve from their followers that they did not want to be repeated in the coming year, 2018, that is. Well, the story goes that Ms. Sulemana decided to lightly warn off those desperate job seekers who have been pestering her with their CVs or résumés at public functions and gatherings to promptly desist.

I suppose what peeved some of the Facebook threaders was the phrase “…this nonsense should end in 2017” which, we are told, was part of the game or joke. But what is annoying here, we are told, is that some of the people who read Ms. Sulemana’s post and may be part of the CV-pushing crowd, have mounted pressure on the young woman to have her resign her job as a Presidential Staffer. Now, I find such demand to be grossly misplaced, if also because in our kind of democratic culture, Ms. Sulemana has the inalienable right to express her thoughts and feelings according to the rules and regulations established by the Facebook managers.

The fact that some participants in the Facebook forum or thread found Ms. Sulemana’s views to be unpleasant, or even plain distasteful, does not give them the right to demand her immediate resignation. She is serving in her capacity as a Presidential Staffer wholly at the instance or pleasure of the President, and it is only the President who has the right to demand the resignation of Ms. Sulemana.

The preceding notwithstanding, I strongly believe that irrespective of her youthfulness, it is incumbent on Ms. Sulemana to fully appreciate the fact that her new position puts her well above the pack of ordinary Ghanaian citizens. Which means that she can no longer jump into any discussion in cyberspace at will or at whim. She has to be mindful of the great impact of her words and the sort of unprovoked envy, jealousy and hostility that comes with her new job description and title.

Now, I don’t know the sort or quality of professional orientation provided young Presidential Staffers like Ms. Sulemana prior to the resumption of her post, but it is quite obvious that somebody higher up ought to be looking out for her. She has earned her keep as a former Presidential Aide to then-Candidate Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, so let none of her critics harbor the grossly mistaken belief that she owes any of them her position, salary or title, for she does not. Rather, what she owes herself and the rest of society are humility and a charitable spirit of sympathy and empathy. Happy New Year to you all!

*Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com  Ghanaffairs

The views expressed by this author remain solely their own and are not to be taken as the view of the Editorial Board of www.africanewsanalysis.com,  www.zongonews.com and ZongoNews Radio & TV