“If You Think I’m A Nobody, So Be It” – Presidential Aide Responds After Disability Graduates Reject Petition Handover

Presidential aide Dr Samuel Ayeh has responded after the Coalition of Unemployed Graduates with Disabilities declined to hand over its petition to him, insisting that the document should be received by a senior government official.

Dr Ayeh, who said he was representing President John Dramani Mahama, told the group that he respected its decision not to present the petition to him.

“If you think that the President has sent me to receive a petition on his behalf and, in your opinion, I’m a nobody, and because of that you will not give me your petition, well, that’s the position you can have and I respect that,” Dr Ayeh said.

His comments followed a decision by representatives of the coalition to withhold the petition after they were informed that Dr Ayeh was the official designated to receive it on behalf of the President.

The group argued that it wanted the petition handed directly to a senior-most government official, rather than to a presidential aide.

In response, Dr Ayeh maintained that he was a senior government official at the Office of the President and had been sent to receive the petition on the President’s behalf.

“Just as you have rightfully intimated, you are speaking on behalf of your colleagues, who have resolved that they wish the petition was delivered to a senior-most government official,” he said.

“As I stand here, I’m also a senior member of the government at the Office of the President and I’m standing in for the President.”

Dr Ayeh said the coalition was free to wait until it found an official it considered appropriate to receive the petition.

“You can wait till a point in time where you think you’ve met the right person to deliver, you have that opportunity,” he said.

He also conveyed the President’s best wishes to the group for coming forward to present its concerns.

“Let me convey the President’s best wishes to you for the opportunity and for coming,” Dr Ayeh said.