Ghanaian feminists become footsoldiers when they go into politics – Outspoken feminist activist

Dr. Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed, an assistant professor of Global Media Industries at the College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia has observed that feminists in Ghana “throw marginalized people under the bus to score political points” when they venture into politics.

In a social media post, Dr. Wunpini, a well-known feminist said her colleagues “begin to lose their feminist value” and rather “become foot-soldiers”.

Her comments are on the back of remarks made by former New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary aspirant for Old Tafo Constituency, Louise Carol Serwaa Donkor on the appointment of Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as the running mate of John Dramani Mahama, the 2020 flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Dr. Donkor had in a statement argued that Prof. Opoku-Agyemang was given the nod for the sole purpose of redeeming the former President’s soiled image.

She further said the selection of Prof. Opoku-Agyemang who once served as the Education Minister could thwart efforts being made to trumpet women’s rights.

“The NDC’s nomination of Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, deceitful as it is merely intended to harness her seeming nobility to sanitize the image of John Dramani Mahama, irredeemably blemished by corruption and incompetence, sets her up as a sheep amongst wolves, without any true opportunity for impact,” she mentioned.

“Rather than signaling transformational progress, the nomination could set the women agenda many years back in the most unlikely event that Ghanaians give their mandate to the NDC in 2020 to deliver an assured continuation of poor governance and corruption.”

Reacting to Dr. Donkor’s position, Dr. Wunpini said “It is not enough to call for feminist representation in politics, we need to make it clear that we want feminists who will stay true to the movement and not betray the movement's values to please their political masters.”

“Let's not be feminist figureheads used to decorate political parties and their administrations. Let's make our politics reflect our feminist praxes whether our party is in power or not. Feminist in power, feminist out of power, feminist every day.”