Female govt appointees jump to defence of Prez comment on women

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has received strong backing from female appointees under his administration over his gender dynamism comments about women.

The President at a recent conference in Canada suggested that not enough movement was being made by women to take up key positions in governance and that although 30 per cent of his cabinet were women, they were not seeing enough dynamism and activism from women.

But the comment has been criticised by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and some women activists who feel the President presented a negative picture about women.

At a news briefing in Accra, some female appointees of  President Akufo-Addo jumped to his defence, and thanked him for speaking out to challenge women to take up bigger opportunities.

Hajia Mahama

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama, said ”President Akufo-Addo did no wrong because he was calling on women to use their agency to amplify their voice in decision-making positions.

She said the President had championed and exhibited much commitment in empowering women.

 “He has worked to ensure women are involved in major decision-making platforms. But It is about time women pushed their numbers with their agenda,” she said.

The Minister of Communications, Mrs Ursula Owusu Ekuful, said some former appointees under the previous NDC government criticising the President were being hypocritical.

Waking up to the challenge

”The President has challenged us and we should take up that challenge. We thank him for waking us up to do more as women,” said the Ablekuma West MP.

For her part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, said those criticising the President were only trying hard to score political points and must be ignored.

She praised the President for working with more female appointees under his administration who were helping to fulfil his agenda of creating prosperity and equal opportunity for all.

Also present at the briefing was the Deputy Minister of Information, Nana Ama Dokua Asiamah Adjei, and the National Coordinator at the One District One Factory (1D1F) Secretariat, Ms Gifty Ohene Konadu.