Female Ministers backs Akufo-Addo’s gender comment

Three females ministers by name Hajia Alima Mahama, Mrs. Ursula Owusu Ekuful and Shirley Ayorkor Botchway under the administration of President  Akufo-Addo have staged a strong defense over his gender dynamism comments to women.

At a press conference, the Ministers: for Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama; for Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful and for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, called on critics to back their criticism with tangible support for women who seek to enter politics.

According to them, the President only sought to make a point about the need for women to step up and forcefully fight for what matters most to them.

Minister for 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 platform. But It is about time women push their numbers with their agenda” she said.

The Minister for Communications Mrs. Ursula Owusu Ekuful said some former appointees under the previous NDC government criticizing the President were been hypocritical on the matter.

”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.

On her part, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway said those criticizing 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 are helping to fulfill his agenda of creating prosperity and equal opportunity for all.

President Akufo-Addo at the conference among other things suggested that not enough movement is being made by women to take up key positions in governance; and that although 30 per cent of his cabinet are women, they are not seeing enough dynamism and activism from the women.

But the President’s comment has not been welcomed by women activists who feel that he has not taken notice of what they have been doing over the years to push for women empowerment.