By Rafiq Nungor ADAM
The Affirmative Action Coalition has expressed outrage over the absence of women in the shortlisted candidates for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in the Upper West Region.
Despite President John Dramani Mahama’s promise to ensure at least 30 percent women representation in his government, not a single woman was included in the list of 33 shortlisted candidates.
The Upper West Regional National Democratic Congress (NDC) Secretariat received 156 applications for the various MMDCE positions in the region, of which seven were women. The seven women came from four municipalities and districts.
However, despite going through the vetting process, none of them was present on the final list of 33 candidates nominated for the president’s consideration.
The coalition has rejected shortlisted candidates, is demanding that the president reconsider the list, and ensures that at least four competent and capable women are appointed to MMDCE positions.
“We demand that of the 11 District and Municipal Chief Executive positions, please ensure that at least 4 competent and capable women are appointed to take up District/Municipal and Metropolitan Chief Executive Roles,” said the Convener, Lydia Darlington Fordjour, at the Community Development Alliance (CDA).
She argued that the Upper West Region has been marginalised in terms of women representation.
“It is bad enough that the Upper West Region does not have a single female member of parliament and has not had one in the last eight years; it is even more unacceptable to have a zero-female MMDCE team in the region as well. We cannot fall behind as women in the development of our own region,” she said.
Lydia further noted is disheartening that the sole female parliamentary candidate lost the election and the regional minister-designate is male.
“It’s disheartening that the sole female parliamentary candidate lost the election and now the regional minister-designate is also a male. This is unacceptable. Does the 30 percent women’s inclusion quota not apply to the Upper West Region? Our women have been excluded from all political appointments and now it seems we’re losing out on MDCE positions as well.”
The coalition is also calling on Vice President professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyenmang to stand firm with women of Upper West Region and ensure that the 30 percent representation quota is met.
“We also to appeal to the Vice President, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyenmang who has become a beacon of hope for many women in Ghana. We call on her to stand firm with women of Upper West Region. She should be bold enough to insist that the 30 percent representation of women must be met across all 16 regions of Ghana in the appointment of MMDCEs,” the coalition noted.
More women’s groups in the region are calling on the president to appoint women into MMDCE positions, as queen mother’s from the region also read a press statement today calling for inclusion in local governance.
