Nana Oye Bampoe Addo and Hajia Nasira Afrah
Two Ghanaian female political figures, Deputy Chief of Staff for Administration, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo and Member of Parliament for Sekyere Afram Plains, Hajia Nasira Afrah have called for the creation of an avenue that would champion African women’s right to dignity, and equal opportunity.
Speaking at the seventh edition of the Women’s Choice Awards Africa in Accra, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo stated that over the years, across the continent, women have spent generations pushing against social, cultural, political, and economic barriers.
She indicated that as the former Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, and ECOWAS Chair for West African Ministers of Gender and Social Development, she led reforms that strengthened human rights protection, advanced women’s empowerment, improved governance systems, and expanded inclusion for vulnerable groups across the sub-region.
Emphasising that African women are entitled to dignity, autonomy, and equal opportunity, she advised women in positions of influence to keep the doors open for the young ones.
“We must continue the many mentorship programmes and sessions, but to ensure sustainability we should be able to teach these young ones how to become better and more impactful than our forebears. This is how to bridge the gap,” she added.
Addressing the theme, “Breaking Barriers, Bridging Gaps, Building Legacies,” Hajia Nasira Afrah said that progress in Africa — real, lasting, inclusive progress — has never been accidental.
According to her, “it has always been forged by courageous women like you and me, who stepped into spaces where doors had not yet been built, who rose against the odds and lifted others with them, and who understood that true influence is measured not only by personal success, but by the opportunities we create for many.”
Hajia Afrah urged women to remember that every barrier a woman breaks clears the path for another, saying, “Every gap we bridge strengthens the fabric of our societies. And every legacy built is a lighthouse — guiding our daughters, our nieces, our students, our communities — toward a future where they can rise even higher.”
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke