Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), has declared that the continent of Africa will succeed across all sectors if it makes women’s empowerment a priority.

The President of the African Development Bank, thus, encouraged the Government of Ghana to empower more women to achieve enormous progress.

“Women run Africa and nobody can fly with one wing, so when Africa fully empowers all its women economically, politically, socially, and financially, Africa will take off like a jet.”
Dr. Akinwumi Adesina

The AfDB President made the comment when he led a team from the African Development Bank to inspect the Pokuase Interchange project.

Dr. Adesina, meanwhile, spoke on other components of the project like the rehabilitation of the Pobiman Women’s Group Centre to train women in pastry, bread baking, soap, bead making, and the rehabilitation of the Manchie Gari Factory for the processing of cassava into gari and starch. He encouraged the Government to empower more women, noting that they can help propel economic development. “…That could make the nation achieve her targets and a positive milestone in socio-economic development.”

The President of AfDB used the opportunity to call for support for women entrepreneurs in Africa. He averred that the bank is committed to supporting and strengthening women-owned businesses. He further charged the government to provide financial skills as well as wealth-creating capacity for Ghanaian women.

Meanwhile, the Pokuase Interchange project was jointly funded by the AfDB with 84 million dollars and the Government of Ghana with about 11 million dollars. The project which kicked off in July 2018, was to promote sustainable economic growth, convenience, and safe transportation for motorists. It was opened to traffic on July 2021 by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The Assemblywoman Thanks Government

Mrs. Selina Avevor, the Assembly Member for Kuntunse Electoral Area, Ga West Municipality, expressed gratitude to the Government for its interventions in promoting women’s development in the country, especially in the project area.

Mrs. Avevor, who also doubles as the President of the Pobiman Women’s Association, appealed to the Government to complete phase two of the Women’s Group Centre project initiated to promote the training of more women in vocational skills in the country.

The Assembly Member for Kuntunse Electoral Area stated that the Association has currently trained more than 40 women in the Municipality. She indicated the association’s readiness to train more with Government’s support.

Mrs. Avevor highlighted the vital roles women play in the socio-economic well-being of households and the country as a whole.

The Assemblywoman, however, noted that in this period of Covid-19 when many people lost their jobs and livelihood, urged women to take advantage of some government initiatives to help them support their businesses.

The call is in line with the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), which recently unveiled a novel business competition intended to empower women in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) trades.