Women groups petition Mahama

.... over the appointment of more women to serve in Leadership Positions within the Country

Thousands of women representing various women groups in Ghana have lauded President John Dramani Mahama for his gesture towards the appointment of Mrs. Charlotte Kesson Smith Osei as the female Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana.

They've also petitioned the President to complement his good effort by focusing his attention on effecting similar appointments in the future, to see more women serving within various leadership positions in the country.

Marching through the streets of Accra early Monday morning from the Head Office of the Electoral Commission to the Gender Ministry to deliver their petition to the President through the Gender Minister, the women carried placards with various inscriptions amidst singing and dancing praising President Mahama and wishing him well for the move.

Majority of the women who took part in the march have represented the echoing voices of various women groups in Accra, the whole Ghana and across the diaspora including Concerned Women of Ghana, Nima Self- Employed Women Association, Ghana Talented Dressmakers, Ashaiman Islamic Women Movement and others.

Some of these placards they carried read, "Affirmative Action Is On Course", "Female Prez for Ghana Soon", Women are Soaring High, "You have Made Us Proud" amongst others.

Madam Felicia Dzifa Tsegah, a leader of one of the groups who read the statement on behalf of the women applauded President John Dramani Mahama for the gesture in coming out with the appointment of more women to lead the various sectors of the economy, urging him to strive further in his quest for such selections in the future.

The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye- Lithur who received the petition on behalf of the president acknowledged the women for their steadfastness in galvanizing support for majority of women to reign in the affairs of the nation by occupying leadership positions of service.

President Mahama has, appointed Mrs. Charlotte Kesson Smith Osei as Chair of the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana becoming the first woman to hold the position since independence in 1957.

The President's appointment is in accordance with Article 70(2) of the 1992 Constitution.

A statement signed by Chief of Staff Julius Debrah said Mrs. Osei who replaces Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan was until her appointment the Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education.

Mrs. Osei, a lawyer with considerable experience in public service management, institutional reform also has expertise in corporate law, banking, insurance, project financing and public-private partnerships.

The new EC Chairperson holds a Masters in Law (LLM) from Queen's University, Kingston, Canada and a Masters in Business Leadership from the University of South Africa, Pretoria. She obtained an LLB (Hons) from the University of Ghana in 1992.

Her appointment ends weeks of speculation about who will replace a colossus in Ghana's electoral administration Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan who is retiring after almost 20 years at the helm.

Mrs Osei is thought to have been propped up into the limelight by the late President Mills when he first made her a member of the Board of Directors of the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB).

Her first major national assignment upon assumption of office as the EC boss will be the monitoring and supervising of the by-election in Talensi constituency slated for Tuesday, July 7.

Meanwhile, the newly appointed female chairperson Mrs. Charlotte Kesson Smith Osei has been urged by her fellow colleagues women to demonstrate a good leadership example by remaining on top of her duties so as to shame her critics, to prove to them that she is equally good for the task as a woman.