NETRIGHT, WMC, DV congratulate Naana Opoku-Agyemang

The Network for Women’s Rights in Ghana (NETRIGHT),  the Domestic Violence Coalition (DV) and the Women’s Manifesto Coalition (WMC), have congratulated the Running Mate to John Dramani Mahama for the 2020 elections, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang for her nomination.
“As women’s rights organisations, we are always gratified to see women ascend to positions of leadership and distinction because it affirms the legitimacy of our struggle for gender equality and social justice,” the Groups stated.
According to the Groups, as the first woman chosen to contest as a Vice Presidential candidate by a major political party, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang has done honour to herself and to all women who are struggling for recognition of their immense contributions in the nation’s development.
“We therefore applaud the choice of Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, as it constitutes a high level of gender responsiveness and appreciable progress. We believe that women in Ghana have a critical role to play in bringing about the transformational changes required for a genuine sustainable development,” the group said.
 
Below is a statement:
 
PRESS STATEMENT
 
NETWORK FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN GHANA (NETRIGHT), WOMEN’S MANIFESTO COALITION (WMC) AND THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COALITION (DVC) CONGRATULATE PROFESSOR NAANA JANE OPOKU-AGYEMANGG
 
The Network for Women’s Rights in Ghana (NETRIGHT), the Domestic Violence Coalition (DV) and the Women’s Manifesto Coalition (WMC), have learned with great excitement and appreciation the choice of Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as the Vice Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2020 Elections. We hereby register our congratulations to the NDC for the courageous acknowledgment of Prof. Opoku-Agyemang not only as a person with accumulated expertise from an illustrious public career, but one who has undoubtedly overcome the obstacles that women face in political institutions.
 
As women’s rights organisations, we are always gratified to see women ascend to positions of leadership and distinction because it affirms the legitimacy of our struggle for gender equality and social justice. In this vein, we recall with gratitude the seven women who trailblazed as Vice-Presidential candidates of their political parties in the 4th Republic. They include Prof. Naa Afarley Sackeyfio, Eva Lokko of blessed memory, and most recently, Brigitte Dzogbenuku. Their actions and sacrifices contributed in no small measure to the recognition of the importance and necessity of women’s participation at the highest levels of our politics as a nation.
 
As the first woman chosen to contest as a Vice Presidential candidate by a major political party, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang has done honour to herself and to all women who are struggling for recognition of their immense contributions in the nation’s development. We therefore applaud the choice of Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, as it constitutes a high level of gender responsiveness and appreciable progress. We believe that women in Ghana have a critical role to play in bringing about the transformational changes required for a genuine sustainable development.
 
Today, as Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang gets appointed as the Vice Presidential candidate of the largest opposition party in the country, we urge all political parties to acknowledge women’s readiness to contribute as critical decision-makers at all levels of the governance system. Political parties must therefore recognise that promoting women to high level positions of leadership is a key determinant of women’s political empowerment and equal engagement. That move must also be backed by a commitment to forge a gender equal participation of women at all levels of society.
 
We wish to assure Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang that we celebrate with her in this hour of accomplishment and once again congratulate her wholeheartedly. It is our expectation that her nomination will strengthen the democratic transformation of the internal political cultures of her party, and indeed all political parties, and bring a mature and issues-based politics that is free of gratuitous and prejudicial utterances and violence to the conduct of the coming elections. The hardworking people of Ghana deserve no less.
 
Issued this day, 8th July, 2020 in Accra by the Network for Women’s Rights in Ghana (NETRIGHT), Women’s Manifesto Coalition and the DV Coalition.
 
 
Pauline Vande-Pallen                          Adolf Awuku-Bekoe                             Hamida Harrison
NETRIGHT Convenor                           DV National Coordinator                    WMC Convenor
 
 
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