District Assembly standing orders does not favour women aspirants

Koforidua, Oct. 22, GNA - Ms Barbara Serwaa Asamoah, Deputy Youth organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has asked for a review of the District Assemblies Standing orders, to favour women who have been nominated as District/Municipal/Metropolitan Chief Executives. She noted that the present situation, which required nominees of the President to obtain two- thirds majority of votes from assembly members present, did not favour women, due to the dominance of males. Ms Asamoah therefore suggested that instead of the required two-thirds majority, female nominees should be allowed to get the nod when 50 per cent of the assembly members voted in their favour. This he said should encourage more women to play political roles by using the assembly grounds as stepping stone.

Ms Asamoah was presenting a paper on: "Effective participation of women in politics -the way forward for socio-economic empowerment," at a workshop for the Women's Wing of the NDC in Koforidua on Friday. The workshop was organised jointly by the Netherlands Institute for Multi-Party Democracy and the Institute of Economic Affairs, for the participants who were drawn from the Eastern, Greater Accra, Volta, Central and Western regions.

It was on the theme: "Women Participation in Local Governance." Ms Asamoah challenged the participants to educate their fellow women to know that they have a right to vote for women contesting for political positions, adding that their roles should not only be limited at serving at social functions.

She expressed worry about the absence of queens at high State institutions such as the National House of Chiefs.

Ms Asamoah identified major factors hindering the participation of women in politics as socio- economical and challenged her counterparts to initiate the fight against such obstacles on their own. She advised women to away with petty jealousies and envy and to encourage and support each other at the helm of affairs. Ms Asamoah appealed to political leaders to sensitise women, especially the young ones to take active part in elections at campuses. She charged women to aim at contesting for other positions besides in the party other than women's organiser and treasurer.