This year’s elections was a whole rollercoaster of emotions and a whole lot of waiting but this has been the elections that brought an inrease in the number of women in parliament.
Currently, there are 30 women in Ghana’s parliament and this constitutes 11 per cent from both the majority and minority sides but are few have existed parliament after the elections.
The standard of 30 per cent representation set by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the number of women parliamentarians has increased contrary to varied opinion.
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There is the notion that women are not tough-skinned for politics, however, these women, no matter the circumstance, have been chosen by vote to serve.
It is important to eliminate gender bias, giving women the chance to come into parliament and contribute their quota to national development. They are an essential addition to the government.
According to peoplesmother.org, there has been an increase of 0.36 % in the number of women parliamentarians in this year’s elections.
To these women, we say congratulations! We hope to witness an increase in women representation next four years. In conclusion, we have seen women give their all in whatever they do, and politics is no exception.
Electorates will expect the best from these female leaders, like their male counterparts. They will have to continue to show electorates why they were voted for.
They will expect their representatives in parliament to bring changes and improvements to their lives and community. They will expect truthfulness and transparency, especially in the use of public funds. It is clear, they will not settle for less.
Below are the 39 women who occupy the seats as Members of Parliament for their various constituencies:
Nana Dokua Asiamah Adjei
NPP – Akuapem North constituency (Eastern Region)
Gifty Twum Ampofo
NPP – Abuakwa North. She also retained her seat, running her second term as the Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North (Eastern Region).She also runs on the ticket of the NPP. Presently, she is the Deputy Minister of Education (TVET). In this year’s election, she beat her opponent with 17,653 (53.2%) votes versus 15,551(46.8%) votes.
Abena Osei Asare
NPP – Atiwa East. She happens to be one of the youngest MPs in parliament. She captured the Atiwa East (Eastern Region) seat back in 2016 and was retained this year. She is noted for her contributions to the house. She has also brought about great development in her area. She was chosen by her constituents with 21,175 (76.5%) votes. She is a member of the NPP.
Betty Mensah Nana Afua Krosby
NDC – Afram Plains North
Joyce Adwoa Akoh Dei
– NPP – Bosome Freho
Ama Pomaa Boateng
NPP – Juaben
Francisca Oteng Mensah
NPP – Kwabre East
Patricia Appiagyei
\NPP – Asokwa
Tina Gifty Naa Ayeley Mensah
NPP – Weija Gbawe
Sophia Karen Ackuaku
NDC – Domeabra/Obom
Sarah Adwoa Safo
NPP – Dome-Kwabenya
Sheila Bartels
NPP – Ablekuma North
Ursula Owusu Ekuful
NPP – Ablekuma West
Dr. Zanetor Rawlings
NDC – Klottey Korle. She represents the people within the Korle Klottey constituency in the Greater Accra Region, and is daughter to Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings (late) and former first lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings. She is also a medical doctor and humanitarian. She retained her seat in parliament for the NDC and won with 39,343 votes (55.66%) versus 31,154 (44.07%) and 190 (0.27%) votes from the NPP and LPG candidates respectively.
Agnes Naa Momo Lartey
NDC – Krowor
Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo
NDC – Shai Osudoku
Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe-Ghansah
NDC – Ada East
Queenstar Ama Pokua Sawyerr
NDC – Agona East
Naana Eyiah Quansah
NPP – Gomoa Central
Cynthia Maamle Morrison
NPP – Agona West
She represents the people of Agona West (Central Region). She is also into philanthropy, and was once appointed Minister designate for Gender, Children and Social Protection. This would be her second term in office, as she won the parliamentary seat with 30,513 (51.55%) giving her more time to make a lasting impact. Again, she has certificates in catering.
Mavis Hawa Koomson
NPP – Awutu Senya East
Ayamba Laddi Ayii
NDC – Tempane
Zuwera Ibrahimah
Salaga South
Ophelia Hayford
Mfantseman
Joycelyn Tetteh
NDC – North Dayi
Della Sowah
NDC – Kpando
She is Kpando’s Member of Parliament. She also has her profession in journalism, advertising and marketing. She also has some knowledge in finance. Currently, she is the Deputy Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection. The people within this constituency decided to give her another term in this year’s election. She got 13,582 (49.46%) of votes to aid in snatching the seat from her competitors.
Rita Naa Odoley Sowah
NDC La Dadekotokpon
Helen Adjoa Ntoso
NDC – Krachi West
She is a politician and the current MP for Krachi West (Oti region). She has served as a former Volta regional minister (before the regional split). She has also occupied the position of Director of Operations at The National Disaster Management organization (NADMO). She has once again reclaimed her position as MP for the aforementioned constituency. She polled 12,068 (51.05%). She is a member of the NDC.
Angela Oforiwaa Alorwu Tay
NDC – Afadjato South
Gizella Tetteh Agbotui
Sister to Ghanaian female politician Hannah Tetteh, Gizella contested this year’s election for the NDC, and took the seat from the incumbent with 32,708 votes (51.58%). The incumbent in question fell short with 29,832 votes (47.05%) along with two other candidates. She will enter parliament as the Member of Parliament for the Awutu Senya West in the Central Region.
Freda Prempeh
NPP – Tano North
She is the current Deputy Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection. She began her political life as early as 2002 and has gone through the ranks to be the one she is today. She also retained her seat as MP for the Tano North constituency (Ahafo Region), winning with 22,592 (54.14%) votes. She contested on behalf of the NPP.
Lydia Seyram Alhassan
NPP – Ayawaso West Wuogon. She is the Member of Parliament elect for Ayawaso West Wuogon in the Greater Accra Region. She won on the ticket of the NPP. She ran for MP, replacing her late husband, Emmanuel Kyeremanteng-Agyarko. She won this year’s election with 39,851 votes (51.36%), beating three other competitors to the seat.
Adelaide Ntim Agyeiwaa
Nsuta Kwaman Beposo
Dzifa Abla Gomashie
She is an all-rounder, doing different things in a big way. She was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture in 2013. She represents the people of Ketu South (Volta Region), as she won this year’s elections with 84,664 (84.14%) votes, beating three other candidates from the NPP, GUM and LPG parties. She is also a Queen mother and is involved in the movie industry.
Elizabeth Ofosu Agyare
Techiman North
Dorcas Afo-Toffey
Jomoro
Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe-Ghansah
NDC Ada
Mavis Nkansah Boadu
She is a female politician and the continuing MP of Afigya Sekyere East constituency (Ashanti Region). She is a businesswoman and an MBA holder. She was able to retain her seat in parliament. Her figures were 41,111 (75.34%), with the other candidates at 21.75% and 2.91% for the NPP and Independent respectively.
Theresa Lardi Awuni
Okaikoi North
Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo
She represents the people of Shai-Osudoku in parliament. Aside from parliamentary duties, she has some knowledge in the banking sector, which proves important to her government. She replaced her husband after his death in a road accident. She again contested for the parliamentary seat and won. Her total votes were 32,516 (67.16%) and her competitor from the NPP amassed 15,900 (32.84%).
Queenstar Pokua Sawyerr
She is the representative of the people of the Agona East constituency in the Central Region. She has also served as the Central Regional Minister. She has held on to her seat since 2013, and has again won the hearts of the constituents. She has also served on many committees and has given her share of contributions. This year’s competition was very keen, but she came out victorious with 23,247 (50.56%). Her male counterparts could not surpass her, as the closest was 22,292 (48.48%). She won with the NDC.
*This article was written by Frimpomaa Hannah with additional reporting by Nancy Coleman and Alberta Zormelo
