Accra, July 19, GNA - The Women's League of the Convention Peoples' Party (CPP), has honoured six members of the party for their long service, dedication and commitment towards the achievement of CPP vision, on Saturday in Accra.

Ms. Samia Yaba Nkrumah, Member of Parliament (MP) for Jomoro Constituency, Dr. Edmund Delle, former national chairman of the party and Madam Lucy Enin, former MP in the first republic and 'veteran comrades' Madam Comfort Borkor Mensah, Hajia Fati Salifu Dagarti, Madam Monica Evans-Quayson and Mr. K.T. Dadzie, were presented with certificates and citation of honour.

Mrs. Elizabeth Akpalu, Executive Director of Gender Equity Advocates Commission, on Saturday, called for the passage of Affirmative Action legislation. This she said would ensure a quota system of 40 per cent representation of women in Parliament, District Assemblies, Boards and Corporations.

Mrs. Akpalu said "Ghana has come a long way and being the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to institute Affirmative Action, she should set the pace to correct the under representation of women in politics". She said it was unfortunate that Ghana fell below the average quota system for women participation in governance.

Mrs. Akpalu called for a proportional representative system that would ensure that women achieve greater representation in political bodies. "We need to change the "Winner Takes All" electoral system since it makes it difficult for women to climb the ladder to the top. In a proportional representative electoral system, a party fills the percentage of seats as to the percentage of votes it received for that constituency, thus in a constituency where a total of 15 seats would be sent to parliament, a party that receives 30 percent would fill 4.5,20 percent will fill 3 seats and 10 percent would fill 1.5 seats", She said.

Mrs. Akpalu said Ghana's democracy would not be meaningful without the full participation of women in governance.

Hajia Hamdatu Haruna, CPP National Women's Organizer, said the women's league of the party would put in place strategies to ensure that more women were elected on the party's ticket in the next parliamentary elections.

Ms Nkrumah, said the organization of an early congress, fund raising activities to embark on social projects at regional and constituency level as well as successful unity talks with other Nkrumaist parties would help the party achieve its vision of winning elections. She appealed to the party to support flood victims in the Jomoro constituency with relief items.

Mr. Nadi Nylander, National Chairman of the CPP, said the party would always empower women to attain greater heights in their political career.