The Ghana Employers’ Association (GEA) has launched the alumni network of its Female Future Programme (FFP) on the theme ‘Creating connections and building bridges together’.
The launch follows the completion of about 63 females from the programme, who were top and middle managers from various sectors including banking and finance, Insurance, oil and gas, energy and shipping and ports.
The programme, which was based on three broad modules thus leadership development, rhetoric and board competence was to equip women with the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities to take up leadership roles. It also gave them the platform to expand their professional network as well assist each other towards career growth.
It further intends to assist companies in developing their gender equality policies to achieve UN Sustainable Development Goal five, to achieve gender equality and empower women and girls.
First Vice President of GEA, Emmanuel Adu-Sarkodee said the move is also in support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) eight, which seek to attain productive employment, decent work for all and economic growth. “It is my greatest expectation that the skills inculcated in you will be put to efficient use in your various organizations and development of your career,” he said.
He applauded organizations and employers who have nominated and continue to nominate their female talents to participate in the programme saying the gesture shows an effort towards female empowerment, gender equality, inclusion and diversity at the workplace.
He, therefore urged other employers to support their female staffs to enrol on the programme to assist them in building superior leadership competence to augment organisational performance and bridge the “gender-leadership” gap in the corporate sector.
Board Chair, Absa Bank, Frances Adu-Mante noted that initiative as this are needed to make women more visible, more involved and more impactful in all aspects of national life. She suggested that the group develop a competency framework that spells out a toolkit of behavioural patterns, skills sets and broad orientation customized for women to promote their professional and career development.
“We have often sought to address this issue of gender gap by calling for quotas for women; but I wish to suggest to Female Future Ghana that this issue can be better addressed and addressed faster by encouraging and supporting women to develop exceptional skills in their chosen or preferred,” she said.
The launch also saw the outdooring of the group’s first executives, where Joyce Asiedu-Ofei was appointed President; Juliet Okae as First Vice President; Jane Ohenewaa Gyekye as Second Vice President; Anne Brown as Secretary; Josephine Boateng as the IFFA Liaison Officer; Ama Agyekuwa Hammond as Organizer; Josephine Adjei as Assistant Organizer; and Bridgette Arhin as Treasurer.
Female Future Programme
The Female Future Programme in Ghana is an initiative adopted from the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO) Female Future Model which seeks to address the gender gap in top management, leadership and board positions. The FFP has been replicated in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Tunisia. It is opened to all female top and middle level managers, board members, CEOs and every woman aspiring to be a leader in any sector of the economy.
