Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has issued a strong appeal to President John Dramani Mahama, urging him to appoint more qualified women within the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to high-level leadership roles in government.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, Afenyo-Markin criticised what he described as the administration’s failure to uphold its promise of gender equity in political appointments.
“The problem is not the lack of talent,” he said. “We have brilliant, qualified women in this chamber and across the country. Yet they are being overlooked.”
His comments came in response to a statement by Deputy Minority Leader Patricia Appiagyei highlighting the importance of supporting the Black Queens as they prepare for the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. Afenyo-Markin used the opportunity to broaden the conversation, calling for greater recognition of women in governance, not just in sports.
Afenyo-Markin drew attention to the discrepancy between President Mahama’s promise of 30% representation for women and the actual numbers. He noted that out of more than 40 ministerial appointments to the cabinet, only four are women, with key ministries such as Foreign Affairs, Communications, and Transport lacking any female deputies.
“Out of 260 MMDCE appointments, only 28 are women,” he noted. “This is a direct violation of Act 1121, the Gender Equity Law passed by this very House.”
He also referenced Article 78(1) of the Constitution, which mandates that the majority of ministers be appointed from Parliament, arguing that several highly qualified female MPs on the NDC side, many with postgraduate degrees and strong professional credentials, are being unjustly excluded from top appointments.
While praising the Black Queens for their patriotism and achievements, Afenyo-Markin insisted that women’s empowerment must extend beyond sports.
He said, “Support for women must go beyond cheering for them on the football pitch. It must be reflected in how we appoint leaders, make policies, and allocate resources.”
He urged Parliament and the broader governance community to treat gender equity as a constitutional obligation, not a political token.
“This is not a favour we’re doing women. It’s right,” he emphasised. If we say ‘our time is now,’ then it must include our women—not just in sports, but across every space of national leadership,” Afenyo-Markin
