Women are ripe to take up leadership positions- Mrs Chigabatia

30-07-2010
The former Upper East Deputy Regional Minister, Agnes Chigabatia has identified lack of confidence as one of the major obstacles refraining women from taking part in the political administration of the country. According to her women show little zeal in the affairs of their localities while some assembly women are apathetic at assembly meetings. Mrs. Chigabatia, who expressed these sentiments in an interview with Radio Ghana at Bolgatanga, advised women to take up leadership positions by competing with their man folks. She described women as assets having the potential to contribute their quota to national development, hence the need for women to practically assert and orient themselves to occupy their rightful positions when the need arises. She also debunked the notion that women are not matured to lead the country. Mrs. Chigabatia who is also the current Upper East Regional Chairperson of the NPP said the state of African Politics coupled with customs and traditions sometimes deter women to take up seats of government though there are qualified and competent women of high caliber who are prepared to take up the challenge. To her, priority attentions is not given to women’s rights to enable them to realize their full potentials. Some women, she noted, are prevented from taking part in politics by their male counterpart’s with threats of ejection and divorce. This sometimes scares and demoralizes women, thus making them kowtow to their male competitors. Mrs. Chigabatia, observed that women as charismatic as they are, have the ability to unite party members, settle differences and also listen to the plight of the poor and vulnerable in society and appealed to husbands to help encourage their partners to take part in local and national politics. This according to Mrs. Chigabatia can be made possible if they are supported financially to succeed. She entreated more women to contest in the upcoming District Assembly elections to enable them voice out their feelings and opinions on matters affecting their lives and the society in general. She also charged assembly women to use their knowledge and experience to push the assemblies forward through positive contributions.
GBC END IA/