The Alliance of Feminist CSOs has said that it finds the utterance made by the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, about the marital status and region of origin of Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang completely unacceptable.
The leadership of the organization has therefore called on the NPP’s leadership to call Chairman Wontumi to order with immediate effect.
This is contained in a press release signed by the Executive Director, Alimatu Issahak, dated March 25, 2024.
It is recalled that Chairman Wontumi said in an interview with a Kumasi-based radio station that the running mate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) does not hail from the Central Regions as is being touted.
“I challenge Naana Opoku Agyemang that she does not hail from the Central region; we all have places we hail from, there is nothing wrong with that. My wife is from the Central region and so are my kids.”
During Rawlings era he chose his running mate (Ackaa) from the Central region south-south. He repeated the south-south. John Dramani Mahama is doing north-north because Naana Opoku Agyemang is from the north. The name Opoku-Agyemang belongs to her husband” Wontumi alleged among others.
The Alliance of Feminist CSOs said “These unacceptable comments seem to be coming from members who hold key leadership positions in the party’s hierarchy. First it was the Majority Leader and now no other person than the party’s Ashanti Regional Chairman. It appears to us that a deliberate orchestrated attempt to discredit the personality of the Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang is being executed.”
“These comments by Chairman Wontumi are not only unfortunate, but condemnable and goes further to confirm his stereotype against women, especially aspiring greater heights in political leadership. It appears that some functionaries within the NPP such as Chairman Wontumi do not want to run an issue-based campaign even with an accomplished female Professor who remains one of Ghana’s longest public servants with unblemished reputation and enviable track record as a public servant,” the press release added.
“While the vile attacks against the female running mate of the NDC continues, so far, the NPP leadership have said nothing about the conduct of these members. Are they in support of the conduct to deliberately run down her personality or they want to have an issue-based campaign? We caution them that these attacks if not stopped will be met with an equal measure from the Alliance of Feminist CSOs and its members across the country,” they stressed.
The feminist CSOs stated that, “Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has shown so far that leadership is about no other thing, but competence and one’s ability to deliver service to one’s nation with utmost integrity. A woman described as a distinguished scholar, a conscientious public servant and a role model. Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang is known by many as a woman who embraces all regardless of one’s background. Her nomination which she has earned barely on merit further serves as an inspiration to lots of Ghanaian young women. Therefore, any attempt to tarnish her image will not wash.”
“We therefore call on the party leadership to call Chairman Wuntumi to order and advise party members to desist from making such unguided comments in the future. We also call on all well-meaning Ghanaians to disregard his comments and treat it with all the contempt that it deserves,” they urged.