NORSAAC wants 30% women as MMDCEs

The government has been asked to promote gender equality by appointing at least seven women to serve as Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in the Northern Region.

Ms Kawusada Abubakari, Gender and Governance Manager of NORSAAC, who made the call at a media briefing in Shishegu near Tamale, said appointing at least seven women as MMDCEs in the 26 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the region would be in line with the government’s 2016 manifesto pledge.

Ms Abubakari said “We urge all citizens of Ghana to join hands in drawing the attention of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who has strong respect for women’s development, to ensure the full adherence to the 2016 manifesto of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on appointment of women to occupy 30 per cent of public office positions.”

She was not happy that during the period of 2001 to 2008, only three women served as MMDCEs in the region, while only one woman served as District Chief Executive during the period of 2009 to 2016 in the region.

Ms Abubakari demanded that as the processes to appoint MMDCEs were underway; the government must not sanction any list of possible candidates for the position of MMDCEs from any constituency or regional office if it did not include any female.

She suggested that “Considerations be made to ensure friendly gender procedures and systems which would not further disadvantage women in the plan for the election of MMDCEs in the future as captured in the NPP’s 2016 manifesto.

Mr Mohammed Abdul Kudus, Northern Regional Communications Director of NPP told the Ghana News Agency that the government would be minded by its 2016 manifesto pledge on appointing 30 per cent of women to public positions when appointing people to serve as MMDCEs.  

Source: GNA