A gender mainstreaming strategy for the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the country will be developed soon, President of the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG), Eric Nana Agyemang Prempeh has disclosed.
According to him, this will be done through the Federation for Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and other relevant stakeholders whiles the re-introduction of women conference to create the platform for women assemblywomen to learn, network and share the requisite skills towards the discharge of their duties.
Mr Eric Nana Agyemang Prempeh who is also the Director General of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) made these known at a workshop for Women Assembly members within Greater Accra region as part of the national capacity building programme initiative for women in leadership by his administration.
The nationwide capacity building training programme is aimed at the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals five which aims at gender parity.
Mr Agyemang Prempeh called on all stakeholders and development partners in local government to support NALAG in its campaign to increase women participation in the various MMDAs through the upcoming 2023 local government elections.
The NALAG president also expressed concern about inhibiting factors such as patriarchy of male dominance, customs, religion, inadequate prioritisation of gender issues in the governance architecture, monetization of politics, the reduction in advocacy of gender based women groups among others.
All these, he said have contributed the low participation of women in the local government space despite the fact they constitute the largest segment of the country’s population.
He called for a deliberate effort aimed at building the capacity of women at the MMDAs as key for Ghana to close its democratic deficit gap of underrepresentation of women in local governance.
Mr Eric Nana Agyemang Prempeh who was a former assemblyman, presiding member and municipal chief executive also reiterated the urgent need for the passage of the Affirmative Action Bill into law in order to empower women and other marginalized groups in society.
The Assemblywoman for the Ogbodzo Electoral Area and the representative of women on the NALAG Executive Board, Gladys Otae Osei Addo who chaired the event said women empowerment does not only affect the family but the larger society as well hence the need the training workshop for the women assembly members across the country.
participants at the workshop
Participants expressed gratitude to the leadership of NALAG for the initiative and said it will enhance their capacity whiles motivating other women to get involved in the governance process at the local.
The event was attended by the Municipal Chief Executive for the Ayawaso West Wuogon Assembly who doubles as the National Treasurer, NALAG Sandra Owusu Ahenkorah and other executives of NALAG.
