Centre for Development Research and Advocacy (CeDRA), in partnership with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) and the Central Regional Department of Gender, has empowered elected female assembly members in the Central region to enable them take control of major issues in their assemblies.

The female assembly members were taken through topics such as “increasing women’s participation in budgeting and project monitoring at the local level” and “structures and mechanisms for accountability in local government system in Ghana” to empower them to contribute effectively during budgetary approval processes as well as equip them to evaluate projects implemented in their assemblies to ensure value for money.

Addressing the members during a training workshop at Anomabo in the Mfantseman Municipality of the Central region last Tuesday, Executive Director of CeDRA, Mr. George K. Dzeto, pointed out that his outfit is aware of the various constraints assembly members face in the discharge of their duties hence the training to make them adequately capable to handle some of the tasks that come before them.

He explained that CeDRA is focusing on women because even though they constitute 51% of the country’s population, their involvement in decision making is either non-existent or minimal which is detrimental to Ghana’s achievement of sustainable development.

Mr. Dzeto indicated that the centre has been to six regions where Regional Women Elected Assembly Members Association has been formed in each of the regions to afford members the opportunity to share knowledge and experiences as well as improve networking to enhance their work.

He expressed the hope that the Central region will follow suit for a renewed vigour as shown by other female assembly members in the other regions.

The executive director thus appealed to the women to use their attributes as the epitome of peace to ensure that this year’s elections is peaceful by helping in resolving conflicts in their various assemblies.

“Let me remind you that by virtue of your election, you have now been brought into and made part of the general governance structure of the country with particular focus on the local level no matter your political affiliation so your focus should now be to address the demand and needs of your electorates rather than defending your political interest,” he advised.

Acting Central Regional Director of the Department of Gender, Mrs. Thywill Eyra Kpe noted that the issue situation of low participation of women in decision making is seriously affecting the region, adding that out of the 572 elected assembly members in the region, only 29 were females representing 5% of the seats contested.

“This figure is a reduction in number of the 39 representing 6.8% female membership in the previous assemblies,” she disclosed.

She added that out of the 20 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the region, seven have no elected female assembly members while six had only one elected assembly woman each.

“This situation is an affront to gender equality taking into cognisance the fact that over 52% of the region’s population which are women are woefully under represented,” she lamented.

Mrs. Kpe has, therefore called for the need for women to stay abreast with current technological dispensation that provides access to valuable information for self-development as well as mentor younger ones to develop interest in leadership and decision making.

She has also charged women to develop and prepare themselves to take advantage of the Affirmative Action Bill when it is turned into law to have more women on board who would make the needed impact.

Queen mother of Anomabo Traditional Area, Nana Mbroba Dabor I, who chaired the workshop, noted that the era where women were perceived to belong to the kitchen is over and charged women to come out of their shells to help in nation building.