Union Elects Women's Committee Members

The National Women’s Committee of Communication Workers Union (CWU) has elected national executives at the just ended National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Accra.

They are to implement programmes of the Coordinating Committee adopted by the NEC of the National Union, network and collaborate with the Trades Union Congress (TUC) women’s committees and any other women organizations for attainment of goals and objectives of the women’s committee.

The six-member executives are Kate Duah, Ghana Post, National Chairman; Christabel Johnson, Vodafone, National Vice Chairman, Gabrielle A Mensah, TV Africa, National Secretary; Patience Gbeze, Ghana News Agency, Assistant National Secretary, Selina Gyimah, Metro TV, National Organizer and Hildegard Krakue, Expresso, Assistant National Organizer.

They would serve for two years and could seek re-election.

Theresa Nadia Abuga, Head of Women’s Desk (GTUC), speaking on the topic, “The Role of Women in Union,” stressed the need for women to participate keenly in union activities and to contest for top positions at the national level.

She said despite efforts to increase women participation in the trade union movement, most of the sensitive positions are still occupied by men and urged all women not to be comfortable with only the 2nd Vice Chairman position.

Abuga said, the trade union movement started without factoring in women because in the colonial days women were not allowed to work and everything was revolving around men, though women’s contribution such as house chores remained very significant but could not be quantified.

Kate Duah pledged the executive’s commitment to work hard to achieve their aim.

Mr. Henry D. Ayivor, CWU General Secretary, congratulated the elected executives and urged them to work hard to achieve the objectives of the committee.

He stressed the need to for the newly elected executives to work hard in getting more members to be involved to move the union forward and pledged the secretariat’s support to assist the work of the National Women Committee.

Vida Akuban Quansah, 2nd National Vice Chairman, CWU, said she was happy the structure had finally been put in place.

She said they were longing to establish the structure for the past two years but due to financial constraint it had to be delayed and commended the Secretariat for their efforts.