NPP, NDC urged to consider female running mates

The Minister of Communications, Ursula Owusu Ekuful has urged the two main political parties to select women as running mates since women will be good leaders for the nation should one be elected as president or vice president.

She explained that women’s capacity to multitask and approach to tackling issues would make better managers of the affairs of the country far better than some past leaders.

 Mrs Owusu-Ekuful, who doubles as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ablekuma West Constituency in the Greater Accra Region noted that, “I don’t think we should be barred from aspiring to that, we should be encouraged to dream but if I see the challenges with that job, I am not sure if I want it but if we have to do it, I think a woman will be a great president for the country and will be a fantastic one.

 “Will the country ever give us the chance to do that? I have a challenge for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), there have not been women running mates for the other political parties before, I am challenging them to consider female running mates, that will be the easiest way to the presidency.

“It will give us a good shot at the presidency,  I am challenging them to dare to believe in the capability of the Ghanaian woman, they can do it, given the chance Ghanaians will realise and ask, what took us long because we should have done that long ago for most of our challenges will be solved by now.

“We’ll be [president] eventually. I am not sure about now. But, I think we should be opened to that possibility. I don’t think any field should be closed off limits to anyone because she is a woman. Let’s get the best person for the job. Because of how women are made, we multitask and approach the resolution of issues and solving of problems, I think we would even make better presidents than some of the men we have in this country,” she noted.

Although 50 per cent of the population is female, data available shows public sphere and politics are dominated by males with Mrs Owusu-Ekuful, one of 39 women in the 275-seater Parliament, a number that has been criticised by activists.

-myjoyonline.com