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The psychological and mental barriers of today's women need to be broken for a woman to thrive under the current global dispensation, Nanahemaa Akosua Frimponmaa Sarpong Kumankuma Chairperson of the Convention Peoples’ Party (CPP) has stated.

Nanahemaa Kumankuma explained that “the way we see gender roles is formed and perpetuated by our interactions with our social environment. Our perceptions about the roles unconsciously influence how we value the contribution of individuals around us.”

The CPP Chairperson stated at the 11th monthly stakeholder engagement seminar organized by the Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Office which is a platform rolled out for state and non-state actors to address national issues.  


It was also used to climax the GNA Tema Regional Office’s month-long activities to mark the 2022 International Women’s Day celebration and mark the first anniversary of the stakeholder engagement.

Speaking on the topic: “The path of women entrepreneurs: Challenges and Prospects,” Nanahemaa Kumankuma stressed that women had a lot of potential that could be harnessed to scale up national development.

Nanahemaa Kumankuma explained that article 17 (1) and (2) of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution guaranteed gender equality and freedom of people, girls and boys from discrimination based on social or economic status, among others.  


She, therefore, urged women to pick up the tools and break the glass ceilings, stressing that efforts for gender equity would continue to be a mirage if “women failed to confront the issues.

She noted, however, that issues of concern include: Inequality in access to social protection by the marginalized, vulnerable, and the poor.

“Inequalities in the burden of extreme poverty, education, skilled training gaps, and excess maternal mortality; and Unequal access to socio-economic power and justice, including lack of respect for and inadequate protection and promotion of human rights of women.  


“Inequalities between women and men in sharing of power and decision making at all levels as well as dealing with all kinds of conflicts and insecurities and threats on women,” she said.

She stated that the Ghanaian woman when given the opportunity could make lots of gains for the family and nation.

According to her, women formed most of the population saying that more women must endeavour to take up leadership roles to help fine-tune the needs of the public.

Nanahemaa Kumankuma also said it was time for women to learn to be entrepreneurs stressing that only three per cent of the entire population were employed in government institutions, a situation she said could be remedied if people acquired skills to be self-reliant.

Mrs Sedem Darko, Head of Motor Claims SIC Insurance Company said women played a catalytic role in the achievement of transformational economic, environmental, and social changes required for sustainable development.  


“But limited access to credit, health care, and education are among the many challenges they face,” she said.

Speaking on the topic: “Prospects of women in the insurance industry: Women’s contribution to the SIC Mission,” Mrs Darko said women are beginning to assume leadership roles in the insurance industry, breaking the obstacles set out by society.

Mrs Sika Ramatu Lawson, a Project Electrical Engineer at the Department of Electrical Engineer at Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) who spoke on “Prospects of women in the oil refinery sector: Women’s contribution to the success story of the Tema Oil Refinery,” said the refinery which was a purely engineering-oriented field of work, was male-dominated as fewer women study and work in that area.

“It is worthy of mention that now in TOR we have several gallant ladies who apply modern technology in various positions as instrument/electrical technicians and engineers, process technicians and engineers, chemists.

“Laboratory technicians as was as administrators, finance, procurement, insurance professionals, lawyers, and health personnel, all playing sensitive roles in the process delivery,” Mrs Lawson stated.

Mrs Lawson was accompanied by Mrs Matilda Adane Okrah, Maintenance Planner at TOR, and Ms Phillipa Joy Essien, TOR’s Learning and Development Officer.