The People’s National Convention (PNC) has expressed grave concern over the diminishing number of female incumbent Members of Parliament who lost their seats to male counterparts in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) safe seat zones.
The People’s National Convention in a statement on Monday, January 29 2024 warned that this trend could significantly impact female representation in the upcoming 2024 elections and subsequently in the 9th Parliament.
The political party lamented the lack of proactive measures taken by the ruling New Patriotic Party to safeguard the positions of female parliamentarians in its recently held parliamentary primaries.
The PNC views this inaction as a form of marginalization against women within Ghana’s political landscape, and it fears that it may exacerbate existing challenges related to gender inequality in the country.
The party’s statement further also criticized both the two major political parties, the New Patriotic Party NPP and the National Democratic NDC, for allegedly taking the women of Ghana for granted. The PNC appealed to all women in Ghana, across various sectors, to unite and stand up for their rights.
“We appeal to all women in Ghana, including female politicians, food sellers, market women, women in farming, and those in the private and public sectors, to stand up and demonstrate for their rights”.
People’s National Convention
PNC Urges Parliament to Pass Affirmative Action Bill
Highlighting the urgency of addressing the issues, the People’s National Convention called upon the Ghanaian Parliament to enact laws that specifically target the challenges faced by women in politics.
The party underscored its disappointment with the current state of women’s representation, noting the absence of progress in passing the long-awaited affirmative action bill.
“It is concerning that there are still issues of low representation of women in politics, and parliament appears to be ignoring the concerns of women in Ghana by not passing the affirmative action bill”
People’s National Convention
Furthermore, the People’s National Convention urged Ghanaian women to consider utilizing peaceful demonstrations and boycotts, even contemplating the possibility of boycotting the 2024 elections, as a means to amplify their voices if the Affirmative Action Bill is not enacted into law before the elections.
Additionally, the People’s National Convention called on civil society organizations, the media, academia, religious leaders, and experts to redirect their focus from partisan politics and instead exert pressure on the ruling New Patriotic Party and the opposition National Democratic Congress to pass the Affirmative Action Bill into law.
In a bold move, the People’s National Convention in its statement emphasized that, if elected into power in the future, it shall commit to passing the Affirmative Action Bill within six months.
Again, the People’s National Convention revealed its intention to transform the Ministry of Gender into a non-political entity, granting gender-based institutions the authority to appoint the head of the ministry.
According to the People’s National Convention, its position underscores the growing importance of addressing gender inequalities in Ghana’s political sphere and the party’s commitment to championing the cause of women’s representation in the country.
The New Patriotic Party Saturday’s, January 27 2024 parliamentary primaries saw some notable and prominent female incumbent Members of Parliament losing their seats.
Notably among them is the Minister of Sanitation and Member of Parliament for Tano South, Honorable Freda Prempeh and the Deputy Minister of Communications and Digitalization and Member of Parliament for Juaben, Ama Pomaa Boateng.
In Greater Accra for instance, three incumbent female Members of Parliament including the former Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection and Member of Parliament for Dome Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Sarfo, Tina Mensah, the incumbent Member of Parliament for Weija Gbawe and Shiela Bartels, the incumbent Member of Parliament for Ablekuma North lost their bid to represent the ruling party in the upcoming elections.
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