Claudia Lumor, a media entrepreneur and former political aspirant, has called on political parties in Ghana to deliberately create structures that encourage more women to participate in governance.
Speaking in an interview on GHOne TV on January 23, 2026, Lumor said women remain significantly underrepresented in politics due to structural and cultural barriers within the political space.
“I feel women are less represented. If you built enough network and maturity, and you can do that, then you should try it. I would encourage a lot of women to do it,” she said.
According to her, politics in Ghana is largely male-dominated, a situation that can be intimidating for women, especially those who may not be mentally prepared for the hostile nature of political engagement.
“It’s also because the structures that are set may not be the structures that are encouraging for women. It’s a male-dominated area, and that can be intimidating for a couple of women.
“Even me, people say I’m strong and brave just because I joined politics. The moment someone speaks to you that way, if you’re not mature mentally, you will be threatened or intimidated by that,” she stated.
Lumor further disclosed the emotional toll her political journey took on her, revealing that she experienced emotional breakdowns behind the scenes.
“I had a moment where I cried a lot in my room, and the moments I felt like there was so much I needed to do, but then again, the structures in place required heavy investment of time as well,” she noted.
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Touching on the challenges faced by women with families, she explained that balancing political life with motherhood remains one of the biggest deterrents for women.
“I’m a mother, I’ve got 3 children, and I was always flying to places. Spending the weekend in Accra became a luxury for me. I couldn’t spend enough time with my children, that’s why you don’t see a lot of women doing it,” she explained.
She shared that existing political structures are designed to favour men, as society more readily accepts men leaving their families behind for political work than it does women.
“Sometimes, it takes you away from home and requires a lot of sacrifice. Our structures are built in such a way that men can leave their children at home more easily than a mother leaving her children, especially when they’re young,” she said.
Lumor, however, acknowledged Ghana’s progress in gender representation, citing the country’s female Vice President as an inspiration.
“If political parties are listening, they need to be intentional with making sure that we want to get more women into government. Ghana has gone far since we have a female vice president, which is inspiring. We need to be intentional, make sure we don’t see politics as a game for men,” she stressed.
She expressed her willingness to return to public service if called upon.
“When it comes to service, there are no deadlines; it’s a journey. I’m very open to the idea. If my people call me to come back again, I will go and serve,” she added.
FG/EB
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