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Deputy Presidential Spokesperson, Shamima Muslim, has hailed the appointment of Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang as Ghana’s first female Vice President as a groundbreaking achievement that has shattered the biggest glass ceiling in the country’s political history.
Speaking at the She Builds Conference in Accra, Shamima emphasized that this milestone, achieved 68 years after independence, serves as a powerful symbol of hope for women’s leadership in Ghana.
“I think you all know that as for the biggest glass ceiling, we have already achieved that under this current government, the Vice President, Prof Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang. I mean, 68 years of our independence, it is only now that Ghana can boast proudly of having a female Vice President,” she declared.
While acknowledging the significance of this achievement, Shamima stressed that it must be accompanied by broader societal change to become truly transformational.
“It is symbolic, not yet transformational. It can only become transformational if you and I, all of us, recognise that if Naana Jane can achieve it, you too can achieve it,” she added.
Shamima also highlighted the pressing issue of women’s underrepresentation in leadership, noting that Ghana falls short of global and African averages.
“Rwanda now has 61% of women in its national assembly. South Africa, Senegal, and Mozambique are all doing beyond the 30% mark. Unfortunately, Ghana is not represented among the top-performing African countries,” she observed.
To increase women’s representation, Shamima advocated for two key actions: encouraging more women to contest elective positions and ensuring deliberate appointments by those in power.
“The numbers can increase if more women participate in elective politics… The second is through appointments, which requires goodwill and commitment from the appointing authority,” she explained.
Shamima expressed optimism that Ghana can reach the 30% women representation target by 2026, as outlined in the upcoming Affirmative Action Law, especially if current efforts in appointments continue.
“What the president wants to do is to tell all of us that if we are able to break new glass ceilings, it means the sky is our launchpad,” she concluded.
Story by Lawrence Odoom/Phalonzy
