The Minister-designate for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Otiko Afisa Djaba has written to the Appointments Committee explaining why she did not undertake her mandatory national service.
According to her that she failed to do her national service because she was over 40-years-old when she completed tertiary education.
“I did not undertake National Service upon completion of a course of study at the University of Development Studies (UDS), Wa Campus, in 2009, because I was informed that persons who were over forty (40) years of age were exempt from national serviceâ€, she stated in a letter addressed to the Chairman  of the Committee, Joe Osei Owusu.
“I completed UDS in 2009 at the age of 47, and consequently, was under the impression that I was exempt from national serviceâ€, she added.
Otiko's failure to undertake her national service has been cited as one of the reasons why the Minority members of the Committee have refused to approve her nomination.
The National Service Act, 1980 (Act 426) which makes it mandatory for Ghanaian students who graduate from accredited tertiary institutions to do a one-year national service to the country also states that graduates who are 40 years old or more could be exempted from undertaking national service.
Her explanation is therefore expected to help her case when Parliament decides her fate later today.
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