It was a great showdown on TV3’s Saturday morning political talkshow ‘The Key Point’ when the current and immediate past Ministers for Gender, Children and Social Protection clashed for the first time to deliberate on how Ghana can amplify voices and activism of women to ensure their full participation in key decision makings.
The discussion was centered on a recent comment made by President Akufo-Addo in Canada, which has triggered several criticisms. The President has said, despite the majority being women in Ghana, not much political action had been witnessed in their push for greater inclusion in Ghana’s political administration.
“We are not seeing enough dynamism and activism on the part of those who are seeking. I am talking about dynamism where it matters…electing people to Parliament, controlling political parties because they are the instruments by which our societies make decisions.
“We are talking about decisions, not wishes and hopes, we are talking about decisions that are going to make the difference,†President Akufo-Addo added.
Nana Oye Lithur, a human rights lawyer and former Gender Minister representing the opposition NDC party heavily criticized President Akufo-Addo who is the AU Gender Champion for shirking his responsibility as the first gentleman of the land to push women agenda forward.
She said the President’s comment was unfortunate and sought to offend the sensibility of Ghanaian women.
According to Nana Oye, the President carries the loudest voice, the power and also controls all the resources to break all the economic, educational and cultural barriers to promote the full participation of women in key decision making or getting more women into parliament.
Voice of Nana Oye Lithur
She questioned why Nana Addo could not appoint more than 30% women into his government, has not been able to pass the Affirmative Action Bill into law or come out with concrete measures to raise standards of women and their participation in politics in particular.
However, the Minister for Gender, Cynthia Mamle Morrison in a swift rebuttal expressed disappointment in the former Gender Minister for playing partisan politics with such an important issue which bothers on the development of women in Ghana.
Madam Morrison reminded Nana Oye Lithur to be aware that by the virtue of her former position as Minister of State and a lawyer, many Ghanaian young females looked up to her as role model or for inspiration.
Voice of Cynthia Morrison
Madam Morrison also the Member of Parliament for the Agona West Constituency challenged Nana Oye to offer solution or contribution on how Ghana could empower more women to occupy key national positions, rather than and insulting Nana Akufo-Addo whom she said had been at the forefront of the country’s struggle for gender equality and equity.
, December 12, 2019