Please grant us the peace -Asagas

Moses Asaga and his estranged wife, Florence Asaga have issued a joint appeal to the media to grant them the privacy to sort out their family problems.

In an exclusive interview with The Statesman Wednesday, the couple made it clear that the process of reconciliation had started days before the publication, and the family member leading the mediation confirmed that Mrs Asaga was “on her way back to the house this week. I am still hopeful that by the end of this week Florence will be back home with her husband and three boys, where she belongs” said a confident Lionel Molbila, the uncle that Mrs Asaga is temporarily staying with at the moment.

The interview took place at the house of the former Managing Director of State Insurance Company in Dansoman, following reports in the Daily Guide and on radio stations that the opposition spokesperson on Finance and Economic Planning and MP for Nabdam assaulted his wife and threw her out of the house. A tearful Mrs Asaga, who was inconsolable yesterday, made a special plea to the media from her uncle's house, with her husband sitting next to her. “Yes, we have had some problems, Daddy and I. But, we are very committed to this marriage and we are working at solving our problems. But, please, for the sake of our marriage, and especially for the sake of our young children, I am begging the press to give us the space to save this marriage. It means everything to me. I love my husband and children very much” she stressed. The couple has been married since August 1986. In fact, before their recent problems, the Asagas were planning to mark the twentieth anniversary of their marriage in a memorable way next month.

Yesterday, was the birthday of their first born Prince Asaga, who turned 13. Ironically, it was the same day that Daily Guide named the National Democratic Congress parliamentary frontbencher as the politician who allegedly assaulted his wife.

Prince is followed by Gideon, 11, and Duko, 6.

Last night the family ate out together to celebrate Prince's birthday. “I love my wife very much. She means everything to me. You simply can't imagine how very pained I am by all this. We are both committed to saving this marriage. But, we don't want a situation that would lead to a deja vu. The two of us are working at correcting our ways. There are certain things that people do that are not excusable. The only thing is to find a solution that would not take you back there and that is what we are seriously working on.”

It was very obvious that the couple have been shaken by the media focus, especially coming at a time that they were sorting matters out.

“I can take care of myself. But, unfortunately when the media delve into the private affairs of a politician it is not only that public figure they are hurting but, worst of all, his innocent family. I am very worried about Auntie Flo [his wife] and the kids. The kids were having their exams this week.” “It's very essential that we do nothing that would make reconciliation difficult. Every house has its fair share of problems. Except of course not every house has a public figure in it,” noted Mr Molbila.

“Shortly after the fight happened last month, Moses got in touch with me to express his utmost regret. I told him my piece of mind and we have started to work things out from then. Whenever you have this positive combination of love and remorse, there is always hope for reconciliation,” Mrs Asaga's uncle, Mr Molbila added.

Felicia Adongo, Florence's elder sister, who is part of efforts to reconcile the couple, also confirmed the remorsefulness of Mr Asaga and his conviction to find a lasting settlement. “He rushed to my house at 5am – the morning after the quarrel to express his regret about what happened the previous night. The couple love each other and both her family and his family want the best for them and we are all working at it,” she said.

Her brother, Aiden Adongo, a teacher at Holy Child School, is on his way to Accra this weekend to take part in the mediation.

Mrs Asaga was forced out of the family home at Ridge, Accra on June 8. Since then, the husband, who is pursuing a PHD course in the United Kingdom, travelled there for his studies and upon his return family members have been working at bringing the couple back together.

Mrs Florence Asaga, a graduate caterer, is the daughter of a popular anaesthetist, Dr Clement Adongo and Mrs Lucy Adongo, devout Catholics. Both Mr and Mrs Asaga are devout Catholics who worship at Christ the King Church. Both are also Frafras.

The couple met when Florence was a student at Tamale Polytechnic and Moses was doing his National Service at his alma mater, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Kumasi.

The couple married shortly after. When Mr Asaga went to Aberdeen, Scotland, for two years to pursue his Master's degree, he went with his wife. Again, she accompanied him for four years at South Korea, where he pursued an MBA and worked later with a leading stock brokerage firm for two years. The couple returned to Ghana, with Mr Asaga gaining employment with Ecobank before going into politics to become Deputy Minister of Finance during the last term of President Jerry John Rawlings.

“Please impress upon your colleagues to grant them the peace and space to save this marriage,” Mr Molbila pleaded.