In the race for the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) running mate bid ahead of the 2024 presidential elections, competition has reached a fervent pitch, stimulated by a resounding call for gender inclusivity within Ghana’s political landscape.
Twenty-six women’s trade groups hailing from the Ashanti, Bono, and Ahafo Regions have united in a compelling appeal to the ruling party’s flagbearer and the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, urging him to consider the selection of a woman as his running mate.
This call, the group asserted would not only ensure greater female representation within Ghana’s governance structures but also foster increased participation of women in the country’s political arena.
Emphasizing the pressing need for gender equality in political leadership, these women’s trade groups lamented the current underrepresentation of women in Ghana’s governance framework and political scene.
They argued that the inclusion of women in key positions is not only essential for women’s empowerment but also imperative for national development.
The very focal point of the group’s appeal lies in urging Dr Bawumia to choose a female running mate from the Ashanti Region, citing the potential for such a decision to catalyze advancing women’s causes and interests across all spheres of Ghanaian society.
Moreover, the group underscored the positive impact that a female Vice President could have, serving as a beacon of hope for young women and promoting gender inclusivity in politics.
’We are urging Dr Bawumia to select a female running mate from the Ashanti Region. A female vice president will fight for the welfare of Ghanaian women and ensure that our interests are represented in all spheres of life.
Women’s Trade Groups
Threat to Vote against NPP
The group’s message carried a weighty ultimatum as well, indicating that the failure of the New Patriotic Party flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to heed their call may result in a shift of support towards the opposing National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the December 7 polls.
The calls by the twenty-six women trade groups hailing from the Ashanti, Bono, and Ahafo Regions for the ruling New Patriotic Party to select woman as its running mate resonate and reverberate beyond regional boundaries, as they reecho the sentiments earlier expressed by the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).
In a prior statement, the International Federation of Women Lawyers implored all political parties in Ghana to nominate women as their running mates for the 2024 general elections.
The federation’s advocacy, rooted in a commitment to gender equality and the amplification of women’s voices in Ghana’s political arena, stressed the historic significance of ushering in Ghana’s first female Vice President, irrespective of the party emerging victorious in the polls.
Amidst these calls for gender inclusivity, the ruling New Patriotic Party faces a critical juncture in its decision-making process towards the selection of the party’s running mate for the December 7 polls.
Recent polling data by Global InfoAnalystics indicates over 60 per cent substantial number of voters that support former President John Dramani Mahama’s retention of Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang as his running mate within the NDC.
This undoubtedly underscores the significance of the ruling New Patriotic Party in evaluating and assessing the calls to consider a woman as its running mate, as the ‘women card’ undoubtedly emerges as a pivotal factor in the upcoming elections.
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