Minister of Communication and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful became the subject of social media critique after reports went viral that she had reportedly named a government project after her mother.
The inauguration of the Akim Oda Library and Digital Hub was graced by Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, with reports indicating that the facility had been named after the minister’s mother, Akua Brago Daiwuo, on the occasion of her 80th birthday.
For most people lashing out at the Minister, they based their views on the fact that Ursula had supposedly chosen to honour her mother with a government project.
“Hi @UrsulaOw, what is this? How can you name a publicly funded facility after your mother?
“Look, use your money to build something and name it after her. This is unethical and beyond outrageous. Do better8,” one critic posted on Twitter with a link to a gbcghanaonline.com story.
Meanwhile, Accra-based TV channel, Onua TV, posted a photo of the minister hugging her mother with the caption: “Minister of Communication and Digitalisation Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has come under criticism for naming a library and tech hub after her mother
Ministry newsletter article on the project
According to a Ministry of Communications Newsletter shared on their Twitter page on April 2, the minister established the facility and donated same to the community but that it was resourced by public and private agencies.
“The Library and ICT hub is a project established by the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful in honor of her mother’s 80th birthday.”
The article stated that the project was established with the support of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), Ghana Library Authority (GhLA), MTN, Huawei and the Birim Central Municipal Assembly.
Akim Oda gets Library and Tech Hub. It was donated by the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful and Commissioned by the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia @UrsulaOw @APomaaBoateng @GIFECGhana @Huawei @APomaaBoateng @konkrumah pic.twitter.com/QIUyuIGFDh
— Ministry of Comms (@mocghana) April 1, 2023
Ursula speaks on the project
The Minister said of the project on her Facebook page: “Recounting my past and acknowledging the contributions of my mother, Christina Akua Brago Diawuo, which has propelled me to my current state, I can only be thankful.
“Thank you, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, for joining me to inaugurate ‘The Christina Akua Brago Diawuo Library and Technology hub’ at Akim Oda, an honour to my mother.
Scanning through the photos shared on her page, there is one of the main signage to the facility and it is written at the bottom thus: Facility Donated by: Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister of Communication and Digitalisation.