‘MMDCE nominations didn’t reflect gender parity’

The Programmes Manager of Women in Law and Development Africa – Ghana (WiLDAF-Ghana), Lois Adumoah-Addo, has postulated that the nominations of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) did not reflect the dictates of the constitutional provision on regional and gender balance in such issues.

She expressed disappointment in the low number of women nominated as MMDCEs by the President following the list of 38 females out of the 222 males nominated for their roles in the assemblies released by the government.

Ms Adumoah-Addo noted that WiLDAF among other nongovernmental organisations, had been engaging political leaders to ensure they honoured the manifesto promises, policies and programmes of their parties to women during electioneering campaigns.

She noted that it was not what they realised in action when it came to appointments and nominations which showed clearly that the government was not working towards ensuring gender parity and women participation in decision making processes.

“Women’s efforts in governance are not honoured when it comes to positions and it is about time we call on political leaders to let them know that they are not being fair to the majority in the country who are women because positions at the assemblies are more of nominations and appointments.

“That the government has the power to make sure the nominations are gender-balanced and inclusive, to meet the requirement of at least 30 per cent women MMDCEs in every region and disappointing that some regions did not have any woman nominated despite the leading roles women play during elections.

“When it comes to the ministerial appointments women had 14 per cent representation and in this MMDCE nominations, women had only 14 per cent which is unfair, and how does the country seek to develop with such poor women representation having in mind the developmental principles, which states that no one should be left behind,” Ms Adumoah decried.

She observed that the Affirmative Action Bill, which would check most of the imbalances was yet to be laid before Parliament and called on political leaders to prioritise the bill.

The government through the Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development released the list of nominees for MMDCEs positions for approval by respective assemblies. -GNA