The Speaker of parliament, Prof Aaron Mike Ocquaye, has challenged government to draft a comprehensive affirmative action bill which will achieve the needed result when passed into law.
The bill, which currently before cabinet for further input prior to consideration for passage by the House, is expected to, among others, ensure females and other marginalized groups’ active participation in political decision-making.
The speaker at a breakfast forum organised in Parliament on Monday, urged political parties to nominate women into office with the belief of they winning and not just for political requirements.
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The speaker who sounded passionate about the bill also accused political parties of paying lip service to its passage.
He argued that a weak bill when passed would not accelerate Ghana’s efforts at meeting the Sustainable Development Goal 5 target of Gender Parity in decision making.
“We can clearly do a good think-tanking to bring out all manner of strategies and if one-third of district assembly nominees are appointed by the president, what stops us from also amending those provisions so that the one-third will be reserved for women,” he quizzed
Meanwhile, the majority leader Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu on his part said parliament remained fully committed to the expeditious passage of the bill when it is brought before them.
The minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu, on his part called for a review of the constitution, arguing it does not promote the welfare of women.
