Speaker calls for comprehensive review of Affirmative Action Bill

The Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Oquaye, has called for a comprehensive review of the Affirmative Action Bill to ensure that it achieves the needed results when passed into law.

He said there were a number of gaps in the current proposed legislation, hence the need for the law to be revisited.

Addressing the Speaker’s Breakfast Forum with stakeholders at Parliament House in Accra last Monday, Prof. Oquaye said the compulsory aspects of the bill, which was yet to be presented to Parliament, must come with stiffer punitive measures in order to ensure  its effectiveness.

The forum, which was themed “Ghana’s Journey on the Affirmative Action Legislation: Examining the Role of Parliament”, was sponsored by STAR Ghana.

It provided a platform for participants to appreciate the need for the affirmative action law, critically identify key concerns and challenges on the implementation of the bill when passed into law and make recommendations to Parliament to take measures to mitigate any challenges that may arise after the passage of the law.

Equal opportunities

According to the Speaker, Ghana was lagging behind when it came to enactment of laws that created equal opportunities for women.

He said out of 193 countries with affirmative action, Ghana placed 142, beaten by countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.

“There are a number of gaping gaps.  We cannot allow ourselves to be at the bottom of the world ladder when it comes to political representation” he said.

 “Not only that but the issues concerning maternity leave, for example, is six months in other countries. But in Ghana, it’s for three months.  Affirmative Action is an instrument for using the law for sexual engineering.  

“Please let us revisit the proposed legislation, the compulsory aspect of the affirmative action must really bite. It must bite, if it is not biting, then it is of no use. It must compel compliance ,therefore, we should make sure that by the law we should employ a certain quota of women and if you don’t, your factory will be closed down and you will be dealt with and these are all done by law in certain countries,” he stated.

 Overhaul of Constitution

The Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu said the problem was fundamentally inherent in the 1992 Constitution and called for an overhaul of the Constitution to correct the marginalisation of women.

  “To improve and increase women’s representation in political and public life, my comment has been that at that level, the consequences of it is the very nature of the structure of the 1992 Constitution. We have to do justice to it by a comprehensive review which will allow for greater women participation. Ghana deserves affirmative action legislation”, he said.

For her part, Dr Esther Offei Aboagye of STAR Ghana said the outcome of the forum would provide food for thought for STAR Ghana and civil society organisations in the country.

Affirmative Action Bill

The bill, which has been pending for 13 years, is expected to increase the participation of women in decision making.

Ghana’s Affirmative Action Bill, when passed into law, will require the government to ensure equitable gender representation at all levels of governance and decision making in Ghana, as well as address other social and economic imbalances.