2023 District Level Election: NALAG calls for campaign to increase women’s representation
The National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG) has called on relevant public sector institutions to vigorously campaign to increase voter turnout and election of more women in this year's District Level Election (DLE) on Tuesday, December 19, 2023.
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The association mentioned the Electoral Commission (EC), National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Ministries, Departments, Agencies, Metropolitan, Municipal, District Assemblies (MMDAs), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and other stakeholders to “within these few days vigorously campaign to increase voter turnout because it is better late than never”.
At a press conference in Accra yesterday, the President of NALAG, Eric Nana Agyemang Prempeh, also encouraged eligible voters to come out in their numbers to vote for more “courageous and competent women” who will be contesting in the DLE.
Project
The press conference is part of a six-year project known as “Partnership for Municipal Innovation — Women in Local Leadership (PMI-WILL)” with support from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM).
The event was aimed at making a passionate appeal to Ghanaians of voting age to fully participate in the upcoming DLE and most importantly vote massively for more women.
Over the years, the DLE has been characterised by low patronage, with a national average turnout of 30 per cent.
Mr Pempeh stated that addressing the challenge of low representation of women in decision-making process at the local level was necessary as it had a direct negative impact on the nation's quest to promote democracy, inclusivity, gender equality and popular participation at the grassroot level.
“Evidence suggests that when women are elected to leadership positions, they can make a difference for girls and women and strongly impact legislation.
Women are often more likely to pursue inclusive policies and respond to constituent concerns” he further suggested.
“The number of female assembly members saddens my heart, I must say it’s nothing to write home about and together we have to break the bias with all our might.
We believe this is the time to make a massive change and bring more women to the various assemblies” Mr Prempeh said.
Mr Prempeh explained that to increase women’s participation at the local level of governance, NALAG has partnered with FCM to build the capacity of over 300 women under the PMI-WILL project in the country.
Other beneficiary countries under the project are Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Benin and Zambia.
He said in Ghana the project was being implemented in five regions.
They are Greater Accra, Northern, Upper West Region, Bono East and the Eastern Region.
He called on President Akufo-Addo to ensure a “gender-friendly and unbiased representation” in the development agenda by appointing more women to shore up the numbers which would be elected in the upcoming district level polls.
Guide
A 23-page hand book produced jointly by NALAG and FCM to guide women candidates contesting in local level elections in Ghana was unveiled during the press conference.
A jingle to help increase women participation in local governance was also unveiled at the event.
