Old Tafo MP, Vicent Ekow Assafuah
Member of Parliament for Old Tafo in the Ashanti Region, Vicent Ekow Assafuah has questioned the decision to allow only women to work at the Women’s Development Bank.
Minister-Designate Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, during her vetting, disclosed that only women will be employed at the Women’s Development Bank, a key initiative promised by President John Mahama in his manifesto.
“There will be a dedicated policy on women at the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry. The focus is to promote women and help them scale up their efforts in the industry, so we can see more women in leadership roles,” she stated.
She further elaborated on the women’s bank, saying, “The women’s bank is specifically designed to support women. What’s unique about the bank is that only women will work there. Its implementation will create opportunities for women to thrive.”
But reacting to the decision to employ only women, Vicent Ekow Assafuah believes the policy is discriminatory and needs to be reviewed to make it more inclusive like policies and programmes introduced in the past by the New Patriotic Party.
“Our party believes that women’s progress is not a zero-sum game—we do not need to suppress one group to uplift another. If the NDC truly believes in empowerment, they should focus on creating opportunities rather than closing doors on capable Ghanaian men who may also contribute positively to the institution,” he said in a statement.
He proposed that “Instead of making the Women’s Development Bank an exclusionary institution, the government should:
✔ Ensure it is women-led and women-focused, but open to qualified professionals of all genders who can contribute meaningfully.
✔ Provide clear hiring criteria based on merit, not gender, to guarantee competence and efficiency.
✔ Adopt policies that foster mentorship and training for women, rather than simply locking men out”.
Read his statement below:
STATEMENT ON THE WOMEN’S DEVELOPMENT BANK POLICY
Empowerment Must Be Inclusive: Building a Stronger Ghana Together
I acknowledge the efforts of Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare and the NDC government in recognizing the need to empower women economically. Indeed, women have long faced challenges in accessing financial resources, and targeted interventions such as the Women’s Development Bank can play a role in addressing these disparities.
However, as a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), which has a proven track record of advancing inclusive development, I must emphasize that true empowerment does not come from exclusionary policies. The statement that “only women will work at the Women’s Development Bank” is not only concerning but also fundamentally flawed and divisive. National development must be built on inclusivity, not discrimination.
The NPP’s Legacy of True Gender Empowerment
Unlike the NDC’s approach, which seeks to politicize empowerment by shutting out capable Ghanaians based on gender, the NPP has always championed inclusive policies that empower women without excluding men. Under NPP governments, we have seen:
1. The MASLOC Initiative, which provided direct financial support to thousands of female entrepreneurs.
2. The Free SHS Policy, which ensured equal access to education for girls and boys, setting a foundation for long-term empowerment.
3. The Affirmative Action Bill, which our administration worked on to increase women’s participation in governance while maintaining inclusivity.
Our party believes that women’s progress is not a zero-sum game—we do not need to suppress one group to uplift another. If the NDC truly believes in empowerment, they should focus on creating opportunities rather than closing doors on capable Ghanaian men who may also contribute positively to the institution.
A Better Way Forward
Instead of making the Women’s Development Bank an exclusionary institution, the government should:
1. Ensure it is women-led and women-focused, but open to qualified professionals of all genders who can contribute meaningfully.
2. Provide clear hiring criteria based on merit, not gender, to guarantee competence and efficiency.
3. Adopt policies that foster mentorship and training for women, rather than simply locking men out.
We in the NPP remain committed to real empowerment—one that uplifts Ghanaian women while ensuring that no capable individual is left behind. If the NDC government insists on enforcing gender-based restrictions in employment, we will not hesitate to challenge such a discriminatory policy in Parliament and through every democratic avenue available.
Let us build a Ghana where empowerment means opportunity, not exclusion. We must rise above partisan, short-sighted policies and focus on what truly benefits our nation.
The NPP will always stand for inclusive development, economic prosperity, and policies that bring Ghanaians together—not divide them.
In service to Ghana,
Hon.Vincent Ekow Assafuah,Esq
MP, Old Tafo Constituency
Meanwhile, watch as NDC supporters vandalise Ho Central office over government appointment
