Sekondi, Sept. 27, GNA - Dr Francis Appiah, Executive Secretary of the National African Peer Review Mechanism Governing Council (NAPRM-GC) has said that cultural practices and some government policies had led to low women's participation in politics.

He said from colonial days, many of the educational structures built for boys outweighed that of girls.

Dr. Appiah said this at a day's sensitisation seminar on the report of NAPRM, organised by its governing Council for members of the Western Regional House of Chiefs and selected queen mothers at Sekondi on Monday.

He said several women preferred to trade and do business, thereby depriving themselves of formal education.

Dr. Appiah said presently, women dominate all markets in the country and are actively involved in the petty trading, formation of Small Scale Enterprises (SMEs), chop bars and other income generating activities, which many men could not successfully trade in. "Society must therefore not see women as failures but rather assist them to expand their businesses and acquire modern business skills,=94 he added.

Awulae Agyefi Kwame III, Omanhene of Nsein said there was the urgent need for a review of the existing laws that composed the various houses of chiefs.

He said queen mothers who played vital roles in the appointment, confinement and enstoolment of chiefs, did not have representation in the various Houses of Chiefs, neither are they members.

Awulae Kwame said this was discriminatory because due to their absence, they could not make inputs to several issues that affect them. For example, he said queenmothers could assist in solving the increasing marital problems in their respective communities and also check truancy among girls if they are given the necessary legal backing. Ogyeahohow Yaw Gyebi, Sefwi Anhwiaso Omanhene, said the country needed to adopt modern scientific approaches to farming and that reliance on rainfall must be replaced with irrigation facilities while agriculture must be given priority at the various Senior Secondary Schools.

=93Agriculture is life and should be encouraged among all Ghanaians,=94 he added.

Awulae Atiburukusu III, President of Western Regional House of Chiefs, thanked the governing council for the education but stressed that chiefs must be involved in the granting of prospecting and mining licenses.

He said it was unfortunate that many chiefs still do not have the power to negotiate with mining companies and timber contractors over royalties and social responsibility packages.