Create latitude in political arena for women – Dep. Minister

Hajia Hawawu Boya Gariba, Deputy Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, has urged political parties to create some latitude in the sometimes belligerent political arena to boost the representation of women in governance.

She said the parties, for example, could put women up as parliamentary candidates in their safe seats to give them a sure berth into parliament.

Hajia Gariba was at the last of the Dialogue Sessions at the Volta Regional Edition of the Policy Fair in Ho.

The topic was “Sustaining Ghana’s Democratic Process-A Focus on Women and the Youth”.

Hajia Gariba expressed regret that there are only 19 women in parliament and said this was grossly unrepresentative, considering the fact that women outnumbered men in Ghana.

Hajia Gariba said Ghana, by not involving women in governance at all levels, was “hopping on one leg,” and needed the complementary numbers of women to get into stride.

“God has given us two legs and you decide to hop on one, you would not get there, society must come into terms with the changing role of women,” she said.

Mrs Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu, National Coordinator of the National Youth Authority (NYA), said the Authority was envisioning, a “Ghana Youth Parliament” programme for implementation.

She said that Parliament would create a non-partisan forum for the youth to debate national issues and trade ideas which would be documented and passed on to the authorities for perusal.

She said the opportunity given by President John Atta Mills to young people to serve in government had been worthwhile.

Madam Tamakloe-Attionu said enlightened populace, including its youth, was a catalyst for change and accountable governance, lauding government for spreading educational opportunities across the country.

Commenting on the sometimes boisterous political atmosphere, she said dissent, even in the form of demonstrations, was a participatory tool but must be done in acceptable ways.

Source: GNA