President John Dramani Mahama’s recent appointments to ministerial and other key positions underscore a strengthened focus on gender inclusion in governance.
Among the 25 nominees announced, seven are women, marking a notable advancement in boosting female representation in leadership roles.
The selected women come from a variety of professional backgrounds, reflecting a deliberate push to achieve greater gender balance in decision-making positions.
Below is a breakdown of the women nominated so far and their designated positions:
•Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey: Minister Designate for Gender, Children, and Social Protection.
•Abla Dzifa Gomashie: Minister Designate for Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts.
•Emelia Arthur: Minister Designate for Fisheries and Aquaculture.
•Elizabeth Ofosu: Minister Designate for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry.
•Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey: Eastern Region Minister Designate.
•Charity Gardiner: Ahafo Region Minister Designate.
•Linda Ocloo: Greater Accra Region Minister Designate.
This composition reflects a 28% representation of women, a significant improvement in gender balance compared to previous administrations.
In addition, President Mahama has cemented his legacy as a leader committed to gender inclusion by appointing Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang as Ghana’s first female vice president.
Joyce Bawah Mogtari, Special Aide to President Mahama, also expressed support for the nominations in a tweet, highlighting the administration’s progress in advancing gender parity.
“These appointments are a testament to President Mahama’s steadfast commitment to empowering women and ensuring their voices are heard in governance,” she wrote.
Although the representation of women still falls short of the global target of 50%, these nominations represent a positive step forward for Ghana, where women have traditionally been underrepresented in high-level government positions.
Gender equity advocates have praised the appointments while continuing to call for ongoing efforts to increase women’s participation across all sectors.