Take up leadership roles in energy sector - Esther Cobbah urges women
Women working in the country’s power sector have been urged to embrace leadership roles and actively participate meaningfully to strengthen institutional resilience in the energy systems.
The President of the Institute of Public Relations (IPR), Ghana, and the International Public Relations Association (IPRA), Esther Ambah Numaba Cobbah, said despite progress in gender advocacy, women remained significantly underrepresented in technical and energy-related professions.
She said outdated stereotypes that suggested women were less suited for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) must be deliberately challenged and dismantled.
Ms Cobbah was speaking at GRIDCo Ladies Association (GRIDLASS) Women’s Day celebration in Tema, on the theme: “Empowered women, resilient systems: Accelerating equity in power and leadership.”
In attendance were staff, management, board members and stakeholders of the power company and other stakeholders who reflected on gender inclusion, leadership development and organisational resilience.
Commendation
Ms Cobbah commended the Ghana Grid Company Limited for selecting resilience as the central theme of the event, describing it as timely and relevant to its mandate of ensuring the stable and reliable transmission of electricity across the country.
She, however, said that resilience should not be viewed only in technical terms, but must also include financial strength, administrative efficiency, and human capacity development.
Ms Cobbah said women already interacted with technology in their daily lives and professional roles and, therefore, had the capacity to contribute significantly to national development when given equal opportunity.
She called for deliberate workplace systems that supported women’s advancement, particularly caregiving responsibilities that often affected career progression.
“These barriers are not about ability but about structure. When the environment is right, women excel,” she said.
Gender equity
The Board Chair of GRIDCo, Kuukua Maurice Ankrah, called for gender equity, describing it as a structural necessity rather than a symbolic gesture.
She encouraged women to be bold, visible and confident in professional spaces, particularly in leadership and technical roles.
Representation
The President of GRIDLASS, Azara Amadu, said there was the need for deliberate policies to improve female representation within GRIDCo.
noting that out of 854 staff, only 140 were women. She described inclusion as essential for innovation and organisational resilience.
She said out of the nine board members, only one was a woman, while three out of 15 management members were female.
At the middle management level, six out of 38 are women, indicating a narrowing pipeline for female advancement.
Ms Amadu, therefore, called for targeted recruitment, structured mentorship programmes, leadership training and clear career development pathways to support women’s progression.
For his part, the Director of Corporate Services at GRIDCo, Samuel Acquah, said the company’s 2024 gender policy demonstrated its commitment to inclusion and supporting women balancing professional responsibilities with family life.
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