Investigative Journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni has mounted a spirited defence for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo over his comments about women at the Women Deliver Conference in Canada.
President Akufo-Addo came under intense attack after he was reported to have said despite the fact majority of the country’s population are women not much political action had been witnessed in their push for greater inclusion in Ghana’s political administration.
“We are not seeing enough dynamism and activism on the part of those who are seeking. I am talking about dynamism where it matters…electing people to Parliament, controlling political parties because they are the instruments by which our societies make decisions.
“We are talking about decisions, not wishes and hopes, we are talking about decisions that are going to make the difference,” President Akufo-Addo said.
Read Manasseh's Post Below-
Manasseh in a Facebook post said the president committed no crime in his comments arguing that the bar should not be lowered for women by allocating a quota system for them in politics or leadership.
President Akufo-Addo did not say anything wrong. Women empowerment does not mean an unconditional endorsement of what women do, say or want. Gandhi said, "An honest disagreement is a good sign of progress." We must confront the truth even if it is not politically correct to do so. Is there enough dynamism or initiative in Ghana to get women to the decision-making table? No! Sitting in a conference room in Accra and screaming has not produced any meaningful results. Asking for a quota system is wrong. The bar should not be lowered for women. Instead, we should clear the hurdles in the running tracks of women so they can compete freely and fairly. Ursula Owusu Ekuful should be respected in parliament just like any other male MP because, like them, she contested and won on merit. She was not allocated a seat in the house because of her vagina.
We should take women empowerment beyond how many women are in cabinet and look broadly at how the girl-child can be nurtured to be whatever she aspires to be. Let us find out what made the likes of Mawuena Trebarh and Lucy Quist rise to the top of the corporate ladder. That's where the initiative and dynamism are lacking in our current discourse.
There are socio-cultural barriers that have inhibited the full exploitation of the potential of women. This is a fact that cannot be contested successfully. The barriers have fallen considerably through legislation in countries such as Ghana. Some dehumanizing cultural practices against women have been dealt with. The trokosi, FGM, widowhood rites and other such inhumane practices which targeted women have been criminalised through legislation. Discrimination against the girl-child in education is almost disappearing. At speech and prize days in our schools, girls appear to dominate the lists of awardees. We should be looking at how to build on these gains and sustain the brilliance of the girl child who tops her senior high school class until she gets her rightful place in cabinet, parliament or boardroom.
There are still barriers that need to be destroyed completely. These barriers are not erected by only men. It is convenient to find solace in the word patriarchy. But a lot more effort should be dedicated to the psychological barriers. Girls and young women should be taught that being told you're sexy is not a compliment. Instead, they should take pride in their intellectual strength and skills. Mothers should be told to stop admonishing their girls to behave well to get a good man to marry. Women whose spoilt sons enter into marriages should stop harassing their daughters-in-law and give them the space to fulfill their destinies. Male employers and superiors should be subjected to stiffer punishment for sexual harassment. The work environment should be made friendly for women. We should find out why women reject political offices and top public offices and address those issues.
Thirty percent of women in the President's appointees is woefully not enough, but we should not blame the man who has to get a majority of his ministers from parliament and select his appointees from a sample of political participants of his party and the few outside, who are available for selection. The bigger the sample of women, the bigger the chances of getting more women appointed. I know two prominent women outside the NDC who reportedly rejected President Mahama's offer of appointment. When he had to look for technocrats outside the party, almost all of them were women -- Nana Oye-Lithur, Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyeman and Elizabeth Agyare. There is a limit to what a president can do in appointing women to create a balance.
There ought to be more initiatives and dynamism on the part of the champions of women empowerment to build a greater sample for selection. The best way to do that is not to antagonise men and any voice of dissent.
The biggest enemy of a woman is not always a man.
Source: Manasseh Azure Awuni/facebook
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. |
Hannah Bissiw and her idle cohorts should understand this principles of equality than doing cheep politics with this issue. These so called gender advocates maltreat other women without blinking an eye. They hate to be associated with less privilege women in the society yet they shout loudest when issues relating women are on the floor. And did I hear somebody saying the women at the program the president attended laughed at him? OH....poor you guys. Why would anybody call you for dinner if they don't want to learn more from the president? The cheep politics must stop for more intelligent discussions to take place. The mediocrity has gotten to absurd levels.
Thank you Manasseh. I totally agree with you. I don't know why we should give women priority over men. If we say gender equality then we should all have level playing field. why should we lower the bar for women and lift it up for men, where is the equality in that. Tell the women to lift up their game if they really want to lead.
chale the women laughed at our president paa!!!he think say he dey Ghana where supporters will clap for him without hearing what he said.next time!!
WE ALL KNOW WHY YOU SAYING THIS.TO MAKE IT EASY FOR YOU TO COME OUT OF THE MOUSE HOLE WHERE YOU ARE HIDING. ***barred word***.....NEXT TIME WATCH YOUR TONGUE
You are steady now. You know now where power dey.
Oye Lithur wants to go to Parliament and go and hide under the "Parliamentary Immunity". Once Adamu Sankade a sitting MP went through the same court procedures, no MP should think he is going to enjoy anything be it NPP or NDC. Ayariga have you forgotten Adamu Sakande who a faceless farmer took to court over his citizenship and was jailed? In you case you have tampered with the scarce resources of the Government of Ghana and you are claiming you are a MP. Was Adamu Sakande not a MP when you master minded him being sent to jail? Be full of courage and dance to the music you composed.
Misch!evous and controversial Manasseh, so the only and better example you could give was Vajayjay of Ursula Owusu
Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings didn't sit down as a woman when she was the first lady but fought hard with dynamism to establish her 31st December women's movement,that is the dynamism the President is talking about, the women must also stand up and be doing than to sit behind and think she must be awarded a position at all cost. Calling about 6 women and calling yourselves such and such group and fighting for women's cause when you hate a woman in your group is nothing! If you really love women show it to other women so we see how serious you people are than using your mouth to proclaim something you hate ! an educated woman looks down on an illiterate woman but they are talking about women empowerment! Oye Lithur ordered the arrest of a good Samaritan woman who rescued a baby from her deranged mother at Spintex bus stop and such a person whose former husband could describe her as a wicked person who mistreated her house helps has a mouth to talk about this one too! how desperate some people who are on the list of the Special Prosecutor because of their dishonesty and stea*ling are also talking and I heard she want to be an mp for Adenta what an insult !a woman with a questionable character want to represent no other place but the good people of Adenta an insult to the highest magnitude and she must be rejected with the highest magnitude!
Please the president enjoy criticism from so you better go back to your root.He doesn't need you to defend HIM. period!!!!!!
But what, and where should be the rightful place for the woman in the bedroom? Just for the asking.