Politics

Appoint Female Finance, Defence, Interior Ministers – Women in Parliament

By Edzorna Francis Mensah

Parliament observed International Women’s Day March 8, 2022 by praising Ghanaian women for their dexterity, empathy and resilience.

The commemoration of this year’s International Women’s Day on the Floor of Ghana’s Parliament, took an interesting twist as the women in the House pitched camp against their male counterparts.

The Member of Parliament for Krachi West, Helen Adjoa Ntoso emphasized the need for Ghana to do something more positive about the 30% representation in leadership recommended by the United Nations since Ghana’s 14% representation is not encouraging at all.

She mentioned women representation in Africa as follows: Rwanda 61.3%; Burundi 38.2%; Senegal 43%; Cameroon 33.9%; Ethiopia 38.8%; Namibia 44.2%; Tanzania 36.7%; Uganda 34.9%; Zimbabwe 31.9%; South Africa 45.8%.

“Mr. Speaker, I dare to say that when women are in positions; I dare to say that they do better than men at times. Mr. Speaker, I also dare to say that if the finance minister were a woman, we would not find ourselves in this situation. I dare to say that, Mr. Speaker,”.

Helen Adjoa Ntoso said this in her contribution to a statement made on the Floor of the House by the Chairperson of the Women Caucus and Member of Parliament for the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency, Lydia Seyram Alhassan.

This seemed to be a direct referral to the difficulties Ghana’s economy is going through under the current Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta.

According to Madam Ntorso, a woman can perform better than their male counterparts in many of the sensitive positions in the leadership of the nation if they are given the opportunity. She is therefore advocating that the next government raise the bar in appointing women to equally sensitive positions.

She advocates that a woman should be appointed to Head the Ministry of Finance, Interior and Defence.

“So, in short what I am saying is that women can perform; we can do better at times; when we are put in certain positions. So, in the next NDC Government, I am advocating that the Defense Minister should be a woman; the Minister for Education should be a woman; the Minister for the Interior should be a woman; the Finance Minister should be a woman so that Ghana would move forward in the right direction,” she observed.