Government to meet 30% women quota – Dr Atuguba

Government will not be able to achieve its target of appointing 30 per cent of women to head Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) due to “structural difficulties,” says Dr Raymond Atuguba, Executive Secretary to the President.

He, however, reiterated government’s commitment to meet the target in future appointments.

Dr Atuguba in a letter to WILDAF Ghana, a non-governmental organisation, which is seeking 40 per cent representation, and made available to the Ghana News Agency, said government, had taken note of the Constitution Review Commission’s recommendation in respect of the affirmative action.

The Affirmative Action requires that all appointments should contain at least 30 per cent of persons from each gender, but civil society groups including WILDAF, Ghana are calling for 40 per cent women to be appointed as Chief Executives in MMDAs and also as ambassadors.

Dr Atuguba, however, said: “At the moment, due to structural difficulties, it may not be possible for President John Dramani Mahama to achieve this requirement.”

Meanwhile Ghana has made commitments to the Affirmative Action by signing and endorsing the Convention on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women which set a minimum target of 30 per cent of women in decision making positions by 2015.

Ghana is also a signatory to African Union and New Partnership for Africa Development provisions on gender equality, which targets 50 per cent representation of men and women.

Source: GNA