Minimum representation of females in Mahama’s cabinet unacceptable – Bagbin

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has expressed his disappointment throughout the lack of gender imbalance in President Mahama’s cabinet, saying that any appointments dropping beneath the 30% bench mark for females are not acceptable.

Speaking at the recent International Women’s Day event in Parliament, Bagbin underscored that merely two out of 19 Cabinet Ministers are women which is far below the 30% requisite set by the Affirmative Action Gender Equality Act.

In a statement Bagbin stated that, “We have tarried long enough in passing the bill. Let us not apply the same wishy-washy attitude towards its implementation. I am not impressed with what I have seen so far regarding the leadership position of women in Parliament, committees of Parliament, and appointments into senior positions. Even the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection is not a cabinet ministry”.

Alban Bagbin pressed Parliament to lead by instance in promoting and elevating gender equality, requesting for a reexamine of leading positions within the House.

The Speaker added that, “He call on leadership, and he will lead in advocating for gender equality by considering to reconstitute the leadership in the House claiming that they passed the law therefore they have to lead by example.

Adding that out of the 43 committees in Parliament, only four are chaired and headed by women on the other hand out of 19 ministers of state in the cabinet, only two are women. So therefore, it was a waste of time and resources passing a law which has been ineffective. They, including women have to sit up”.

He strained on the need for solid action to insure the entire effectuation of the Affirmative Action Gender Equality Act, encouraging government to preserve their dedication to gender inclusiveness in governance.