President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to achieving gender equity, saying that women currently hold 23.21% of all government appointments.
The President expressed his dedication to fully implementing the Affirmative Action Act of 2024 (Act 1121) to ensure fair representation across political, social, economic, educational, and cultural spheres.
“I am pleased to report that women currently make up 23.21% of all appointments, and we are diligently working towards reaching the targets set forth in Act 1121,” he said while delivering his first State of the Nation Address in his second term on Thursday, February 27.
He noted that the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection is actively collaborating with stakeholders to operationalise the Act, including efforts to attain the 30% target quota for women in political appointments.
Read also; We’ll engage all stakeholders to prioritise gender equality – Mahama
“Mister Speaker, I would like to take a moment to commend you and this house for your unwavering support and guidance, which were instrumental in passing the Affirmative Action Act of 2024. My government is dedicated to successfully implementing this Act to ensure gender equity,” he added.
His comment comes amid growing calls for President Mahama to address the declining representation of women in ministerial nominations, despite the 30% benchmark established by the Affirmative Action Law.
However, President Mahama expressed concern about gender imbalance at the local government level, noting that few women apply for Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executive (MMDCE) positions.
He attributed this to systemic challenges and urged the National Constitution Review Conference to pave the way for the election of DCEs. He believes this would enable the Gender Ministry to encourage and support more women in contesting for these roles.
In further efforts to empower women economically, he announced the establishment of the Women’s Development Bank, a specialised financial institution designed to support businesses owned and led by women.
“This bank will provide low-interest loans and tailored financial services under very flexible terms. Consultative processes are underway to ensure its successful launch. Additionally, as part of our 120-day social contract, the Minister for Finance will allocate initial funding for the Women’s Development Bank in the upcoming budget,” he disclosed.
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