Constitutional activist and lead convener of the #FixTheCountry Movement, Osagyefo Mawuse Oliver Barker-Vormawor, has expressed disappointment over the gender composition of the President-Elect’s recently announced transition team.
His critique highlighted a perceived inconsistency with gender equity commitments and raised questions about the representation of women in Ghana’s evolving political landscape.
“The President-Elect has appointed 10 individuals as part of his transition team in accordance with the Presidential Transitions Act. Of the 10 appointed, there is only 1 woman. This is disappointing”.
Osagyefo Mawuse Oliver Barker-Vormawor, Constitutional activist and lead convener of the #FixTheCountry Movement
He considered it not only disappointing but also a setback to efforts aimed at achieving gender parity in political representation.
“It is inconsistent with the spirit and letter of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act,” Barker-Vormawor asserted, emphasizing the importance of aligning appointments with Ghana’s legislative framework aimed at advancing gender equality.
A Missed Opportunity in a Historic Political Moment
The activist also underscored the significance of this appointment in light of Ghana’s historic political milestone—the election of the country’s first female Vice President.
According to Barker-Vormawor, the transition team’s gender imbalance undermines the symbolic and substantive implications of this achievement.
“Secondly, we must brace ourselves for a new era of politics. We have for the 1st time, a female vice president. Let us make sure that this has meaning on the place of women in our politics. She should not be a token..”
Osagyefo Mawuse Oliver Barker-Vormawor, Constitutional activist and lead convener of the #FixTheCountry Movement
Barker-Vormawor’s remarks reflect growing concerns among gender advocates that tokenism, rather than genuine inclusion, could define the role of women in leadership under the incoming administration.
Criticism of the Vice President-Elect’s Role
Barker-Vormawor did not shy away from critiquing the Vice President-Elect, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang herself, should she have been involved in approving the appointments.
He noted that her failure to advocate for more women in the transition team would represent a broken promise to champion women’s inclusion in governance.
“If Madam VP-Elect saw and approved this list; then I am sorry, she failed to hold the door as she promised,” he stated, invoking the metaphor of “holding the door” for other women to step into leadership roles.
The activist further argued that the decision to appoint only one woman fails to recognize the wealth of capable female leaders within the National Democratic Congress (NDC), as well as among the broader pool of professionals and technocrats in Ghana.
“There are competent women within and without the NDC. Many of them elected the President-Elect,” he emphasized, suggesting that the choice to sideline women in such critical appointments is not a matter of a lack of qualified candidates, but rather a lack of political will.
The President-Elect, John Dramani Mahama announced his transition team in accordance with the provisions of the Presidential (Transition) Act, 2012 (ACT 845).
The appointed members of the Joint Transition Team include Hon. Julius Debrah, (Co-Chairperson), Hon. Johnson Asiedu Nketia (Member), Hon. Fifi Fiavi Kwetey (Member), Dr. Callistus Mahama (Member/Secretary to the Transition Team), and Dr. Valerie Sawyer (Member).
Others include Prof. Kwamena Ahwoi (Member), Hon. Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson (Member), Hon. Mahama Ayariga (Member), Hon. Goosie Tanoh (Member), and Dr. Edward Omane Boamah (Member).
Additionally, the President-Elect nominated Rt. Hon. Edward Doe Adjaho, a former Speaker of Parliament as a member of the transitional Advisory Council.
The team is expecetd to work closely with representatives of the out-going government with a view to ensuring a smooth transfer of political power to the incoming administration.
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