Mahama Ayariga calls on NPP to nominate female running mate

-0:00

80%

Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga has called on the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) to nominate a female running mate for the upcoming elections as a sign of genuine commitment to gender empowerment.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, Ayariga who is also the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central said the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) had already demonstrated leadership in promoting gender equality by nominating Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as its running mate. She later became Ghana’s first female Vice President.

“We, the NDC, can only go forward,” he said, drawing applause from members of the House.

Ayariga was responding to comments by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who had accused President Mahama of not fulfilling his promise to promote women in leadership, including a pledge to appoint 30 percent of Cabinet positions to women. Mr Ayariga rejected these claims, describing them as unfounded.

He also proposed that the NPP reserve “safe seats” in its strongholds such as the Ashanti region, for female parliamentary candidates to increase women’s representation in Parliament. He said the NDC could do the same in regions like the Volta Region to ensure a stronger pool of women leaders for ministerial appointments.

Addressing the Minority Leader directly, Ayariga said, “Now, the Minority Leader has suddenly become a gender champion when, as Majority Leader in government, he could not protect his female MPs’ seats in the last elections and lost most of them… dzi wo fie asem,” a phrase in Akan meaning “mind your own house,” which prompted laughter across the chamber.

Earlier, Afenyo-Markin, who is also the Member of Parliament for Effutu had criticised the current administration for appointing only 28 women as mayors and chief executives of metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies. He also claimed that qualified women in the NDC were being sidelined despite their capabilities.

The exchange highlighted ongoing debates over gender representation in Ghana’s political leadership as both major parties prepare for the next general elections.