Former President and leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has committed to ensuring that at least 30% of his cabinet will be composed of women if the party wins the 2024 elections.
Mahama made this pledge while speaking at the launch of the NDC women’s manifesto in Kumasi, Ashanti Region on Monday.
“For the NDC, our mission is clear: Ghanaian women matter. They are development partners, and we have outlined proposals to ensure women have a seat at the national decision-making table, the cabinet, alongside men,” he stated.
The former President emphasized that Ghanaian women, whether hairdressers, farmers, teachers, or entrepreneurs, are the driving force behind the nation’s future and the heart of his vision for the country.
He reiterated his commitment to establishing a Women’s Development Bank and launching the National Apprenticeship Programme, to be called ‘Adwumawura,’ as well as the One Million Coders initiative.
Mr. Mahama also promised to amend the interstate succession law to better protect women and vowed to address the high cost of living within the first 14 days of his presidency by scrapping taxes such as the E-Levy and COVID levy.
He also pledged to implement a 24-hour Economy initiative and provide free sanitary pads to all girls in primary and secondary schools.
Mahama called on Ghanaian women to join him in creating a country where women are recognized as nation builders.
“With the strength, passion, and determination of women, we can create a nation where every woman is empowered to lead and succeed,” he declared.
An NDC government, he said, would celebrate and harness the strength, intelligence, and resilience of Ghanaian women for the nation’s progress.
He encouraged women to rise with him and Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, his running mate, as they work toward equal opportunity and prosperity for all.
The former President pointed to his selection of Professor Opoku-Agyemang as his running mate as evidence of his commitment to gender inclusivity, describing her as a woman of immense integrity.
“God willing, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang will be Ghana’s first female Vice President in January 2025,” he said.
The NDC’s vision, he added, is to have a truly inclusive and gender-balanced government and cabinet, which is long overdue in Ghana’s democracy.
He stressed the significant contributions of women to the nation’s development, especially in the informal sector, where 92% of workers are women.
Despite this, he noted that gender inequality remains pervasive, particularly among the 3.76 million women who are classified as poor according to the 2020 Census.
“Nearly 54% of unemployed people in Ghana are women. Why should poverty have a female face, with 1.44 million women classified as extremely poor and living on less than $1.90 a day,” Mahama questioned, emphasizing the need for action to address these inequalities.
Behind these statistics, he said, are women—mothers, sisters, and daughters—who work tirelessly yet still go to bed hungry and stressed, “They are the backbone of our communities, yet they bear the heaviest burdens of inequality.”
