Minister for Communication, Ursula Owusu Ekuful has disclosed how misogynistic publication by a newspaper in 2005 hurt her 10-year-old son.
She narrated that, her son had come home from school crying uncontrollably as a result of a publication by a certain newspaper.
She said the newspaper had publicized a story about her describing her as a ‘prostitute’ and in other unprintable words.
Describing the incident as unforgettable in her life, she disclosed that the publication by the newspaper became the talk of town that her son had cried over it when he was told by his classmates that his mother was a prostitute.
Madam Ursula Owusu recalled that when her son returned home from school crying and she inquired to find out why he was crying, he asked her whether she was a prostitute. This, she said, was because the parents of her son’s classmates had discussed the content of the newspaper publication to the hearing of his classmates who then mocked her son at school for being a child of a prostitute.
“In around 2005, Palava, I believe, did a full page spread on me in very offensive language, calling me all manner of names, describing my anatomy in words that I didn’t recognize myself but what made an impression on me about that incident was my son came home from school crying and I asked him why he was crying and he said his classmates said his mother was a prostitute (because) their parents were discussing that article and that is what they were saying. ‘So Mom, are you a prostitute?’ my son was about ten years then. I have never forgotten that,” she said.
Madam Ursula Owusu said this in denial of allegation that she made some unpleasant remarks against the former Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei which some deemed as an attack on madam Charlotte Osei’s person.
Denying the allegation in an interview on Ghone TV, the MP for Ablekuma West Constituency said she has been advocating for an end to demeaning and prejudice remarks against women in higher decision-making positions in the country and therefore could not have made any of such remarks against the former EC boss.
While bemoaning what she termed as atrocious treatment Ghanaians have subjected women in politics to, she stated that such remarks only debase the essence of varying views in a democratic setting like Ghana.
“I am very careful because I have been at the receiving end before and women in decision-making in this country on both sides of the political aisle have been subjected to atrocious treatment by Ghanaians. So I’m very careful when I’m discussing women in politics not to personalize it. Yes by all means let’s do our politics but let’s leave the personal insults out because it doesn’t add anything to it. It just debase the debate,” she stated.
