Mpasatia (Ash), Dec 26, GNA - Mrs Augustina Akosua Akumanyi, the Deputy Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has suggested that more women should be encouraged to participate in grassroots governance to ensure that the country's democracy was well entrenched and balanced. She said, "Gender balancing should not be treated as a joke but implemented in all spheres of life".

Mrs Akumanyi said this at a women's empowerment forum organised by the NCCE in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at Mpasatia in the Atwima-Mponua district of Ashanti. She noted that there should have been more women in responsible positions at all workplaces, but sadly women are woefully under represented in decision-making and in the corridors of power where it really matters. Mr Kusi Aboraa, Ashanti Regional Director of NCCE, called on political parties to support women to contest for the flagbearership positions in presidential elections. He said it was the responsibility of men to provide the necessary support and create the right environment for the issue of women's empowerment to become a reality.

Mr Aboraa advised the people to pay their taxes and other rates regularly to enable the district assemblies to generate more funds for development. Mr Wilberforce Owusu-Ansah, District Chief Executive for Atwima-Mponua, appealed to parents to invest more in their girl-child education to enable them to take responsible positions in future. He also appealed to husbands to allow their wives to be involved in active politics.