General News of Wednesday, 11 February 2015

Source: Today Newspaper

‘I’ve regretted going to the media’

Mrs. Monica Terlabi, the estranged wife of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) member of Parliament (MP) for Lower Manya Krobo constituency, Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, has expressed regret to use the media in an effort to address romance-turned enemy marriage.

According to her, “I am not a young lady, I am a matured woman who would not like to put my marital problems into the public domain but for any reason it has happened and I dearly regret for that.”

Speaking in a telephone interview with Today, she explained that like any other marriage, there are challenges but it is quite unfortunate that the media had become the centre for addressing these challenges.

The once relatively happy marriage between the deputy minister for lands and natural resources has received bad publicity in recent times.

For his part, Opanin Akwasi Bawuah, the father in-law to the Lower Manya Krobo member of Parliament (MP,) Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, has emotionally called on the latter not to divorce his daughter, Mrs. Monica Terlabi.

The 80-year-old cocoa farmer appealed to the MP who is also the deputy minister for lands and natural resources to forgive the daughter of any wrong she has committed against him and accept her back.

The father-in-law who made the appeal through a phone interview paid a glowing tribute to the son in-law for his sense of respect.

His appeal to the MP whom he described as a nice gentleman and worthy of a son-in-law followed a media publication carried in the Friday, February 6, 2015 edition of the Daily Guide newspaper which headline was; “Minister Dump’s wife over cocaine saga.”

The father of Monica however condemned the accounts of the daughter, describing the action of the daughter as “unfortunate and unacceptable.”

Opanin Bawuah continued that even though society frowns on infidelity and would also not support it, Monica should not have gone to the extent of washing her dirty linen in public, an action he said, has brought “disgrace” not only to the minster but the Bawuah family at large.

“Mr. Terlabi is a good man and we are proud to have him as our son-in-law. When I fell sick recently he came down all the way from Accra to take me to the hospital as well as gave me money. He has so far done his best as in-law and we don’t have any problem with him,” Monica’s father stated.

Opanin Bawuah, therefore, called on the deputy minister for lands and natural resources to treat the matter as one of the many marriage challenges since there is no marriage on earth without a challenge.

“My young man, there is no marriage on earth without a challenge. I have had my share and I think every married person has gone through some of these challenges in marriage, so I beg him,” the father in-law pleaded.