Sex-for-EC-job claim misogynistic - MFWA

Comments that Mrs Charlotte Osei offered sex in return for her appointment as chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) adds to the stereotypes against women and are unfortunate, the Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Suleiman Braimah, has said.

Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP) Kennedy Agyapong, while addressing some supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Kumasi on Saturday June 25, 2016, alleged that some highly-placed persons in government advised Mrs Osei – then chair of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), who took over from Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan as EC boss – to “bring your derriere in exchange for the EC Chair position”.

But expressing his views on the comments on Ghana Yensom, the breakfast show of Accra100.5FM Tuesday June 28, an unhappy Mr Braimah said the remarks fell into the domain of the things people say to sully the reputation of “our mothers and sisters” who fly high in their careers and other pursuits for the simple reason of being female.

“Had a man been appointed as Electoral Commission Chair to replace Mr Afari Gyan, would anyone have said he used his body to get the position? So why is it that when a woman is appointed into a position of authority, we often hear she used some part of her body or she got it because of some other reason?” he asked.

Mr Braimah said the country was not unfamiliar with women occupying key positions currently or in the past, not least the Chief Justice being a woman and until 2013, headship of Ghana’s judiciary and legislature fell to females. He added that it was also not uncommon to see women being the best in their class and graduating as overall best students at university congregations.

“So why do we often think that when it is a woman [who has been appointed], it is not her ability that has got her the position of power, but because she is a woman she used her body or offered something in exchange. It is inappropriate language and when it comes from a Member of Parliament, then it is unfortunate,” he added.