The Alliance of Feminist Civil Society Organisations (AFCSOs) has urged the New Patriotic Party (NPP) leadership to address comments made by its Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, known as Chairman Wontumi, about Prof Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, the running mate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer.

Chairman Wontumi, the NPP’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, is alleged to have made derogatory remarks about Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, suggesting she was secretly married to Mr. Mahama and that she originated from the Northern Region, not the Central Region.

In a statement issued by its Executive Director, Alimatu Issahak, the Alliance of Feminist CSOs expressed “great concern” over Chairman Wontumi’s comments about Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang’s marital status and region of origin, calling them “completely unacceptable” and urging the party’s leadership to address his conduct “with immediate effect.”

The Alliance noted that these “unacceptable comments” seemed to be coming from key leadership positions within the party and that there appeared to be a deliberate attempt to discredit Prof. Opoku-Agyemang.

Condemning Chairman Wontumi’s comments as not only unfortunate but also indicative of his backward views and stereotypes against women, particularly those aspiring to high political leadership, the Alliance observed that while the attacks against the NDC’s female running mate continue, the NPP leadership has remained silent about the conduct of these members.

Praising Prof. Opoku-Agyemang for demonstrating that leadership was about competence and the ability to serve one’s nation with the utmost integrity, the Alliance described her as a distinguished scholar, a conscientious public servant, and a role model.

The Alliance stated that Chairman Wontumi’s comment about the professor’s marital status and regional origin was baseless and did not reflect on her competence and impactful track record. They called on the party leadership to address Chairman Wontumi’s conduct and advised party members to refrain from making such unguided comments.

Read the full statement below:

NPP LEADERSHIP: CALL CHAIRMAN WUNTUMI’S TO ORDER DISRESPECTFUL COMMENTS AGAINST PROF. JANE NAANA OPOKU - AGYEMANG COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE

The Alliance of Feminist CSOs has noted with a great concern the utterance made by the Ashanti Regional Chairman of NPP Bernard Antwi-Boasiako (Chairman Wuntumi) against Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang on her marital status and region of origin completely unacceptable and therefore call on the party’s leadership to call him to order with immediate effect. These unacceptable comments seem to be coming from members who hold key leadership positions in the party’s hierarchy. First it was the Majority leader and now no other person than the party’s Ashanti regional chairman. It appears to us that a deliberate orchestrated attempt to discredit the personality of the Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang is being executed. Since Chairman himself is a discredited individual occupying such an important position we have nothing to tell him directly except to fall on the leadership of the NPP to call him to order.

These comments by chairman Wuntumi not only unfortunate but condemnable and goes further to confirm his backwardness and stereotype against women especially aspiring greater heights in political leadership. It appears that some functionaries within the NPP such as chairman Wuntumi do not want to run an issue-based campaign even with an accomplished female Professor who remains one of Ghana’s longest public servants with unblemished reputation and enviable track record as a public servant.

While the vile attacks against the female running mate of the NDC continues, so far the NPP leadership have said nothing about the conduct of these members. Are they in support of the conduct to deliberately run down her personality or they want to have an issue based campaign? We caution them that these attacks if not stopped will be met with an equal measure from the Alliance of Feminist CSOs and its members across the country.

Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has shown so far that leadership is about no other but competence and ones ability to deliver service to ones nation with utmost integrity. A woman described as a distinguished scholar, a conscientious public servant and a role model. Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang is known by many as a woman who embraces all regardless of ones background. Her nomination which she has earned barely on merit further serves as an inspiration to lots of Ghanaian young women. Therefore any attempt to tarnish her image will not wash.

It is completely unacceptable that a whole professor of such great accomplishment who has served Ghana with utmost dedication and commitment in her entire adult life will be met with such baseless and demeaning attacks in a public space in her quest to further serve Ghana in a bigger capacity. A comment about the professor’s marital status and regional origin by chairman Wuntumi is baseless and has no merit on her competence and her impactful track record. This is not the first time such disrespectful comment is coming from chairman Wuntumi he made similar comment against the Professor on 10th July, 2020 and up till now no apology has been rendered to the Professor. This simply cannot be the way to go in 21st century politics with such backwardness.

We therefore call on the party leadership to call Chairman Wuntumi to order and advise party members to desist from making such unguided comments in the future.
We also call on all well meaning Ghanaians to disregard his comments and treat it with all the contempt that it deserves.

Yours faithfully

Alimatu Issahak
Executive Director