Nana Konadu (4th from right) in a photograph with the queen mothers
Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, the disqualified presidential candidate of the National Democratic Party (NDP), has indicated that she would not relent in her efforts to empower all women in Ghana.
The NDP flag bearer recalled how she, together with some other women, worked to empower women socially, economically and culturally in the days of the 31st December Women’s Movement, adding that women were no longer solely depending on their husbands and some of them became breadwinners of their respective families.
She noted that the quest for true empowerment is an on-going process that is never finished. “We need to be consistent with our objectives to emancipate women in order to ensure that they get better recognition,” the former first lady stated.
Nana Konadu was one of the 12 presidential hopefuls who were disqualified from contesting in the December election by the Electoral Commission (EC) for failing to meet the necessary requirements; but she is fighting it out in court.
According to the EC, it could not accept the forms of the NDP’s presidential candidate because the number of subscribers to her forms did not meet the requirements of Regulation 7 (2) (b) of CI 94.
However, Nana Konadu seemed unperturbed by the decision of the EC. That was evident when she interacted with queen mothers in the Western Region at Takoradi on Wednesday.
She commended the queen mothers for their hard work, achievements and for playing their traditional roles effectively.
She stated, “Women empowerment is not about getting women in important positions in society. It is about giving women the confidence and comfort to perform their roles in society.”
Nana Konadu promised to establish gold refineries in some of the mining communities in the Western, Ashanti, Brong Ahafo and Eastern Regions to create jobs for the teeming unemployed graduates.
She pointed out that provision of infrastructure should go with the development of the people and that an NDP government would put measures in place to better the lots of the public sector workers.
“How can you build more schools without providing the basic things to ensure effective teaching and learning and also pay teachers better salaries?” she queried, apparently referring to the touting of community day schools by President Mahama and his National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.
The queen mothers vowed to rally behind the former first lady in all her endeavours .
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi