Magdalene Kannae addressing the media
THE PRESIDENT of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been urged to fulfill the New Patriotic Party (NPP’s) Social Development agenda under the party’s 2016 manifesto of having at least 30 % women in public office.
The Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF) made the call on Friday at a press conference in Accra “to bring to light the low number of women nominated by the President (Akufo-Addo) in his first three batches of ministerial appointments.”
WiLDAF reminded President Akufo-Addo of his government’s obligations to promote and ensure gender equality at all levels namely ministerial, deputy ministerial, ambassadorial positions, District Assemblies including District Chief Executives and Government appointees to Public Boards, Commissions and Councils.
Nine women have so far been nominated to occupy various ministerial positions under President Akufo-Addo, out of a total of 36 which according to WiLDAF represents just 25 percent.
“This falls short of the International, Regional and National standards as well as the New Patriotic Party’s own provision of minimum threshold of 30% women’s representation in its 2016 “Change, an Agenda for jobs” Manifesto,” Board Member of WiLDAF, Magdalene Kannae said.
“WiLDAF Ghana is concerned that, the current ministerial appointments made so far do not reflect the 30% minimum threshold of women,” she added.
‘Reject List’
WiLDAF admonished the Appointments Committee of Parliament to “reject the Executive’s list of nominations for Ministerial, Deputy Ministerial and other public appointments if the list does not contain at least 30% females.”
It also urged the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and Attorney-General’s Office to expedite the process of resubmitting to Parliament the Affirmative Action (Gender Equality) Bill for its consideration.
BY Melvin Tarlue