The Minister of Communications and Digitalization, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has expressed scepticism regarding the passage of the Affirmative Action Bill in the next parliament.
She attributed this uncertainty to the delayed efforts in stakeholder advocacy.
Speaking at the Women in Governance National Dialogue on the theme, ‘Movement building towards equal playing field: Women’s inclusion and participation in governance’, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful asserted that the recent calls for the passage of the affirmative bill should have preceded an election year.
She said, “I think this has come a little too late. Every election year when I have the opportunity, I say it. Why do we wait until election years before we start advocating for greater inclusion of women? Why do we do that to ourselves?
“The selection process starts when the last election ends. And we wait for three years and wake up in the election year, sometimes even six months into the election…this even if it is passed to law will not see fruition in the next parliament because the processes for selecting the members of the next parliament have already been crystalized”.
Meanwhile, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful also urged women entrepreneurs to back fellow women who are seeking political roles.
She explained that incessant monetizing of political activities hinders women’s political involvement, thus affecting their participation in governance.
Citing her experience, she said, “We need your support. T-shirt, you have to buy fuel. After walking with you day and night they will come and sit there and look at your face. You have to feed them. So you have the fires going on in your office or house 24/7. It all cost money.
“So women entrepreneurs, and women in businesses, support those who put themselves up for elective positions with your resources. Because you need them to speak for you and advocate for you when they get there” she stated.
The event, organized by the EVE International Foundation in collaboration with OXFAM and the Women’s Caucus in Parliament, and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) brought together women in politics, governance, public administration, and women’s groups to promote gender equality and inclusive governance.
Some participants of the event were esteemed stakeholders with shared interests, including the hierarchy of UN Women Ghana, the African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA), the Affirmative Action Bill Coalition Committee, and Oxfam Ghana as well as some female parliamentarians such as Hon. Patricia Appiagyei, Hon. Freda Akosua Prempeh, Hon. Sheila Bartels, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Hon. Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe and Sheila Minkah-Premo.