29 May 2009
editorial
Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF), a women's rights advocacy group yesterday presented a petition to President Mills, reminding him to honour his campaign pledge that women would form 40% of his political appointments. The pledge, apart from being contained in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) 'Better Ghana' manifesto, was also repeated by then candidate Mills during his encounter with the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA). "We are disappointed in the number and percentage of women appointed as Ministers of state (Ministers 21% and deputy Ministers 20%), Council of State (3%), Economic Advisory Council (0%), Armed Forces Council (9.09%). Further, we are concerned with the nomination of only 11 women (6.47%) as chief executives to head Metropolitan, Municipal and District assemblies of which three had been rejected", WiLDAF stated in a statement issued in Accra.
Before the women could march to the seat of government, Osu Castle, to present the petition, some supporters of the ruling party and the media had already politicized their action. They claimed that the women who wanted to embark on the demonstration were a group of NPP supporters, who wanted to advance their political ambition.
Much as The Chronicle agrees that some of these agitations could have political undertones, we think it would be wrong to dismiss the petition of the women, without looking at the merits of their demands.
As noted by one of the WiLDAF members in a recent radio interview, nobody pressurized the NDC to insert in their manifesto that at least 40% government appointments would go to women. Candidate Mills and his party took the decision because they were convinced that they could achieve it, and it was based on this promise that some women might have voted for them. When the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was in power, several pressure groups were formed to consistently keep the government on her toes. Nobody complained about this because it is part and parcel of democratic practice.
To us at The Chronicle, instead of branding WiLDAF members as politicians who are merely pursuing their political agenda, which may be right or wrong, Prof. Mills and members of his government must reflect on the petition and see if the women have a genuine case or not. If they are genuine in their demands, then government must address their concerns and stop playing the ostrich, because they have indeed reneged on their promise to the women. The argument that NDC does not have more women parliamentarians does not hold water, because the party could have fielded more women in their strongholds, knowing very well that majority of Ministers must be appointed from parliament, and the fact that they have promised to appoint more women Ministers of state. We reiterate our position that WiLDAF has a genuine case that must be addressed by President Mills before the NDC goes back to the women voters to solicit for their votes, come 2012.
We however commend the President for appointing the first time woman Speaker of Parliament and Attorney General and Minister of Justice, but if the number does not meet his campaign pledges, he must go back to the drawing board and come out with ideas that would meet the expectations of the women and Ghanaians as a whole.
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