The Affirmative Action Coalition in Ghana’s Upper West Region has rejected the recently released shortlist of candidates for Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), citing the glaring absence of women on the list.
Despite President John Dramani Mahama’s promise to ensure at least 30% women representation in his government, the Upper West Region’s shortlist of 33 candidates features no woman. This has sparked widespread outrage, with the Affirmative Action Coalition demanding that President Mahama rejects the list and ensure that competent women are appointed to key positions.
Addressing the media on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, the coalition emphasized that the zero representation of women on the MMDCE shortlist undermines the President’s commitment to gender inclusion and the affirmative action law recently passed by Parliament.
“This is clearly not right and unacceptable. How are we to believe that NO Woman in Ghana’s Upper West Region is qualified or worthy for appointment to the position of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCES)”.
Madam Lydia Darlington Fordjiur, the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Lead, who read the statement also pointed out that the Upper West Region has not had a female Member of Parliament in the last eight years, making the absence of women on the MMDCE list even more unacceptable.
“It is bad enough that the Upper West Region does not have a single female Member of Parliament and has not had one in the last eight years”, she stated strongly.
The coalition is urging the President to be intentional and deliberate in appointing capable women to drive his legacy mandate and reset the agenda.
The group called on Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang to stand firm with the women of the Upper West Region and ensure that the 30% women’s inclusion quota is met across all 16 regions.
“We demand that out of the 11 District and Municipal Chief Executive Positions, Please Ensure that at least 4 competent and capable women are appointed to take up District/Municipal and Metropolitan Chief Executive Roles,” they demanded.
