The People's National Convention (PNC) has called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo to appoint more women into political office.

It has, therefore, asked the President to review the list of people nominated to fill the position of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs).

A statement signed by the General Secretary of the PNC, Ms Janet Asana Nabla, said considering the fact that women played a vital role in nation-building, the government had to appoint more women to key positions in government.

Context

Thirty-eight women have been nominated as chief executives for the various Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies. The 38 represent 14.6 per cent of a list of 260.

Response

Responding to the issue, the PNC said the low number of females appointed as MMDCEs was not good for a country that had been touted as beacon of democracy and good governance.

It said Article 35(6b) of the 1992 Constitution instructed that gender balance be ensured in the recruitment and appointment to public office.

It said it was, therefore, inappropriate for the female gender to constitute approximately 15 per cent (38 out of 260) in the latest nomination of MMDCEs.

“This is very worrying since this unfair treatment meted out to the female gender is becoming the norm. Female appointment to the MMDCEs position has been hovering around the same 15 per cent in the past,” it stated.

The statement pointed out that Article36 (6) of the Constitution, mandated the state to ensure that all necessary steps were taken to ensure the full integration of women into the mainstream of the economic development of the country.

50 per cent

According to the PNC, since the female gender constituted the majority of the Ghanaian population, appointing few women to the position of MMDCEs could not be in tune with the dictates of the Constitution.

“Our concern with this trend in handling the female gender is surely in line with the dictates of our laws and we call on His Excellency, the President of the Republic, to reconsider his nomination list for the MMDCEs for the good of Mother Ghana,” it stated