Month: September 2013

Freda Prempeh, Member of Parliament (MP) for Tano North Constituency in the Brong Ahafo region has noted with worry that culture is still an obstacle hindering many qualified women to go into politics.

Ms Prempeh is one of the two female parliamentarians out of the twenty-nine MPs from the region.

Ms Prempeh said the situation is not encouraging women who are capable to go into politics even at the local level elections to represent the various electoral areas at the Metropolitan Municipal District Assemblies (MMDAs).

“The Ghanaian culture is a against women right from birth because when a woman gives birth to a baby boy she is said to have given birth to a human being but if she gives  birth to a girl, the baby is  tagged as a thing. Most Ghanaian women who are well qualified do not go into politics because she will not be voted for because they are seen as second fiddle to men in the society,” she disclosed.

She told XYZ News in an interview that apart from culture, which is hindering women from going into politics, Madam Prempeh also noted that economic power is also affecting most women from going into politics because they are not financially sound to compete with men.

Ms Prempeh also noted that there are some negative socio-cultural practices and beliefs, which constitute barriers that militate against women aspiring to enter into politics.

The patriarchal nature of Ghanaian societies she said relegates women into the background of community life especially in the Brong Ahafo Region.

Although women constitute about 52 per cent of the population of Ghana, research had revealed that, they were under-represented in governance, decision-making positions and other significant areas of the economy in Ghana.

Out of the 275 seats in parliament, only 29 are women with the rest being men.

Madam Sheila Minka Premo, a Lawyer and Gender Advocate said, “Discrimination against women in society especially at the office, which demoralized women, lowered their self-esteem and made them reluctant to aspire for leadership positions in politics adding that it was unfortunate that women who aspired for positions were given names.

“The nature of party politics in Ghana is too rough for a woman brought up to be respectful and gentle, to actively participate. Education on gender issues must be organized for men, women, youth, opinion leaders, and religious authorities.

“Women do not fully participate in the formulation of government policies because there are few women in decision-making positions and in government, to make any real impact. This situation is not good for the development of our nation, therefore, there is the need to find strategies to increase their numbers in party politics,” she added.

Ms Kathleen Addy, Outreach Coordinator for the Centre for Democratic Development (C.D.D.), said current and past governments, had not delivered on their promise to appoint 40 per cent of women in governance, adding that women should not be contended with the position of Women’s Organizer in the various political parties in the country.

RadioXYZonline.com

Member of Parliament (MP) for Manhyia South, Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh, has called for total unity to reign in the largest opposition political party.

According to him, the NPP would continue to remain a formidable force in Ghana politics if the party stayed united at all times.

In this regard, Dr Prempeh popularly called ‘Napo’ warned NPP to refrain from rancour, backbiting and all forms of conducts that could divide them.

The Manhyia South MP was addressing the Friends Club of NPP, Manhyia, which is a splinter group in the largest opposition political party.

Napo described the polling station executives and coordinators as the cornerstone upon which the NPP derived its strength.

He therefore entreated the polling station executives and coordinators of the NPP to stay united and work hard for the party.

According to him, the NPP is a political party that rewards hard work, noting that “your good works would be rewarded accordingly one day.”

Napo also entreated the NPP hierarchy to use the old register of the party in the upcoming election of party executives.

According to him, any attempt by the party to initiate any major reforms before the election of the party’s executives could spark unnecessary tension.

Napo openly expressed gross concern over the deplorable state of the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi.

He bemoaned that Kumasi had gradually lost its old glory, a situation which had rendered the place as an old town.

The NPP MP said it was high time politicians began showing interest in the development of Kumasi.

Napo observed that politicians always besiege Kumasi during election periods to amass more votes in order to boost their chances in the polls.

He lamented that these same politicians more often than not turned their back at the Ashanti Region after they have achieved electoral victory.

Napo charged the people of Kumasi and for that matter the Ashanti Region to demand its fair share of the national cake.

Daily Guide

The Twifo Praso Nursing Training School has been boosted with the completion of a new 300-room capacity hostel facility to boost accomodation condition in the school.

Member of Parliament for the area, Hon. Samuel Ato Amoah who confirmed this in an interview with GhanaMPs.gov.gh asserted that infrastructure development was one way of improving education in the area, hence the need for the project.

The MP however lamented that inadequate infrastructure was one of the major challenges facing education in the area but insisted that the situation could be averted if measure are put in place as far as educational infrastructure is concern.

According to Lawmaker, he prepared to commit part of his Common Fund from the Ghana Education Trust fund to construct more of such projects in order to elevate the standard of education in the area to a preferred standard.

Meanwhile, in other related developments, the MP further revealed the signing of a new sister city partnership agreement between the constituency and the Japanese government.

He stated that the agreement is aimed at fostering infrastructure development in various communities within the Constituency.

Emmanuel Frimpong Mensah/GhanaMPs.gov.gh

With the emphasis in infrastructure projects in the communities to assist in the growth and development of the local areas, it is also incumbent that critical re-examination, thorough checks and monitoring of such works be done to ensure value for money.

Several projects have been completed and it would eventually last for a short period following the nature of poor or shoddy works that might have been undertaken on these projects.

However, there has been mounting interests to curtail some of these anomalies in development projects, especially in the Yunyoo constituency, where the Member of Parliament for the area, Joseph Bipoba Naabu has taken a keen interest to ensure that Tuna bridge construction gets the preferred quality it deserves.

The bridge which is still under-construction was badly affected in the weekend’s downpour at Tuna, as it was completely washed off by the rains.

Hon. Bipoba Naabu claimed that prior to this sorry incident, he had questioned contractors of the quality of works but was quick to add that he was assured that the rain water would not  be able to over-run the bridge as was being speculated.

This is the second time the bridge is being handled and attended to as a matter of reconstruction but has all the time failed in terms of the durability and life span.

According to him, the bridge was constructed initially in the NPP administration but said the contractor somewhat did not follow the correct designs of the bridge as provided by the Department of Feeder Roads.

The latest project on the reshape of the Tuna bridge however is captured under a Busac Fund and was lobbied by the MP in collaboration with the DCE for Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo.

Meanwhile, the MP noted that as the weekend’s downpour adversely affected people and properties in the Bunkpurugu constituency, for Yunyoo it was relatively calmer, reporting that the only affected property was the Tuna bridge.

He said he has in the wake of the affected bridge contacted the contractors working on the project and the District Engineer for Gushiegu to seek possible remedies and have assured that they would move to the site by tomorrow together with an official from the financiers of the project.

Jonathan Jeffrey Adjei/Ghanamps.gov.gh