MOWAC to support women contestants with 200,000 cedis

Accra, Sept. 1, GNA - The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MOWAC) can support each of the 1,753 female contestants in the September 12 District Assembly elections with only 200,000 cedis because of financial difficulties facing the Ministry.

"The Ministry is handicapped as the four billion cedis fund created to support and empower women aspirants has so far yielded only 211 million cedis," Mrs Beatrice Bernice Boateng, an official of MOWAC said at the "Re-Launch of Handbook on Elections Campaign and Fundraising Strategies" in Accra on Friday.

The re-launch was organized by the Women's Assistance and Business Association (WABA) in collaboration with Hanns Seidel Foundation, both non-governmental organizations, to equip women aspirants with the rudiments of politicking at the district assembly level. She said: "We planned to lobby and raise about two billion cedis from 2,000 women nationwide and the rest from the donor communities, non-governmental organizations and political stakeholders, but unfortunately the response was very poor.

"We only raised 100 million cedis from the United States Embassy in Accra, 50 Million cedis from United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the rest from other sources." Mrs Boateng said the money cedis would be sent to MOWAC regional and district offices to be disbursed through the electoral officials within next week.

She denied that MOWAC had raised billions of cedis but failed to disburse it to the aspirants. "We had wished to support female aspirants but unfortunately our efforts yielded only 211 million cedis." Mrs Boateng challenged women aspirants to source for funds from other non-conventional financial entities and individuals within their communities.

The over 200 women aspirants from Greater Accra, Eastern, Central and Volta regions who attended the re-launch of the book on campaign strategies expressed disappointment at the turn events. "We were told that each aspirant would receive about two million cedis; in anticipation of that amount, we borrowed money from friends and other financial institutions hoping to pay back immediately MOWAC fulfilled its promise. We have been plunged into debt," an aspirant said during an open forum.

Ms Gloria Ofori-Boadu, WABA Executive Director, lauded the efforts of women aspirants in spite of the numerous challenges and urged the Ministry of Local Government, Environment and Rural Development to ensure effective enforcement of the policy to allot 50 per cent of Government appointees to the local government structures to women. "WABA believes in effective, positive action to enhance the participation of women in local government through government appointments, as most of the socio-economic development activities carried out at the local government structures are female dominated," she said.

Professor Miranda Greenstreet, Executive Member of the National African Peer Review Mechanism - Governing Council (NAPRM-GC) who launched the book commended the media for canvassing support for women aspirants. The 26-page book highlights campaign research, strategic planning, effective communication, fundraising modalities, field work and getting out the vote and the law and elections. 02 Sept. 06