A prominent Women’s Rights Activist and Convener of the Affirmative Action Bill Coalition Ms. Sheila Mintah-Premo Esq. has voiced her concerns regarding the lack of gender balance in President Mahama’s recent ministerial appointments.

Speaking on behalf of the Interaction Bill for Law Coalition, which monitors the interpretation of the Affirmative Action Act and the Gender Act, Mintah-Premo Esq. highlighted the coalition’s disappointment with the current representation of women in government. Mintah-Premo Esq. expressed initial satisfaction with the appointments, stating;

“We were very happy last week when out of 25 names that have come up from the nomination, about 7 of them were women which made it 28%.”
Ms. Sheila Mintah-Premo Esq. Convener of the Affirmative Action Bill Coalition

However, the optimism was short-lived as the numbers dwindled. She explained;

“With the recent number as at [Tuesday], which is an additional 3 regional ministers, and 14 substantive ministers, there’s no woman at all. And this has brought the percentage down to about 15 point something percent. For us, that is not good enough.”
Ms. Sheila Mintah-Premo Esq. Convener of the Affirmative Action Bill Coalition

This drop in female representation fell significantly short of the coalition’s expectations, as Mintah-Premo noted, “The expectation is that it should be either, 30% or [more] to it.”

Mintah-Premo Esq. aligned with the sentiments of the minority leader in Parliament, emphasizing the insufficient progress in appointing women.

“I agree with the arguments on the floor of Parliament from the minority leader, indicating that the numbers are not going up as they should.”
Ms. Sheila Mintah-Premo Esq. Convener of the Affirmative Action Bill Coalition

She referenced Article 55 of the 1992 Constitution, which requires gender relations, stressing;

“So, we are hoping that the numbers will [spin] and more women will be appointed in line with the law and to ensure inclusiveness.’’
Ms. Sheila Mintah-Premo Esq. Convener of the Affirmative Action Bill Coalition

When asked whether the coalition’s focus was solely on ministerial appointments, Mintah-Premo clarified;

“We are looking at all sectors. Overall, we would have to do different types of assessment to see how far we are meeting up to the requirement of the indicators in the law.”
Ms. Sheila Mintah-Premo Esq. Convener of the Affirmative Action Bill Coalition

Mintah-Premo Esq. outlined the coalition’s strategies for advocating for more women in government positions. She emphasized the need for continuous dialogue and legal reinforcement.

She pointed out that the law came in September last year. However, there’s a need for regulation to put in place certain key measures to make some aspects of the affirmative law work. She added that there’s a need to talk to the equity company, based at the Ministry of Gender, to ensure compliance.

Mintah-Prema Esq. emphasized that if government machinery does not appoint up to 30% of women, the Coalition would be very disappointed and that they would continue with the advocacy to push for women’s inclusion in governance.

The Role of the Vice President in Gender Representation

When questioned whether the presence of a female vice president could compensate for the lack of women in other ministerial roles, just like ‘Oliver Twist‘ Mintah-Premo Esq. rejected this notion. She charged; “We have to conform with the law in other sectors and still push to ensure that we have more and more women also.”

Sheila Mintah-Premo’s Esq. advocacy underscores the critical need for gender balance in political appointments.

Her calls for compliance with the Affirmative Action Act and the 1992 Constitution highlight a broader push for gender inclusiveness, reflecting a legal and societal imperative to elevate women’s roles in governance.