Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang
A group calling itself Global Alliance for Women Development (GAWD) has lauded the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for choosing a high-profile woman like Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, a former Vice Chancellor of Cape Coast University and a former Minister of Education, to be a running mate.
The move, according to Yolande Veyvey, General Secretary of GAWD, would empower women to do more for the country.
She said GAWD see it as a unique opportunity for women at large to project their identity and step up the effort to contribute to national development.
“It is worthy and important for all Ghanaians, especially women, to rally behind her nomination, grow beyond politics and look forward for the best from Prof. Opoku-Agyemang to win power and translate their expected hopes into vibrant non-partisan productive activities to the benefit of all women in Ghana,” she said in a statement.
“Her selection is a significant quantum achievement which surpasses all the lip service to create a gender balance to ensure gender equality. What has been long wished for and desired to manifest by many women activists is here. It is not out of place today to have a woman in the hot seat at the helm of national affairs in Ghana,” the statement added.
It said further that “many women as well as men around the globe occupy top private and public decision-making positions and successfully operate large multi-national organizations and businesses. There are no proven records or instances which rate men in top positions as superior, infallible and absolutely perfect without any flaws as compared to women in similar positions.”
“In that case, any adverse conclusions to deride, outlaw, tarnish or downplay the image of an intelligent woman of substance, such as Prof. Naana Opoku-Agyemang called to a high public service office, should be unapologetically treated with the contempt it deserves. This great initiative has neither breached nor broken any protocols and, therefore, does not warrant any condemnation or belittling,” according to the statement.
It added that “it is explicitly clear that women when given any platform or position could possibly perform creditably well. Ghana should use this prominent position offered to Prof. Naana Opoku-Agyemang to elevate, empower and transform the pedigree and status of women to become more efficiently productive partners for a rapid national growth and development.”
“In view of the position given to Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, Global Alliance for Women’s Development (GAWD) wishes to sound a loud call to Ghanaians to support this commendable cause to fulfill the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 5) requirement for gender equality,” the statement stressed.