Special Aide to former president John Dramani Mahama, Joyce Bawa Mogtari has taken on president Akufo-Addo for failing to commend the National Democratic Congress and its flagbearer’s choice of a female as a vice presidential candidate for the 2020 Elections.
According to madam Joyce Mogtari, the president failed to show leadership and statesmanship as well as recognize the majority of the Ghanaian population which is made up of women by his refusal to commend the choice of Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang as a running mate to the presidential candidate of one of the leading political parties in the country.
Making reference to the NPP’s attempt to nominate a female running mate in the lead up to the 2008 Elections, the former Deputy Minister of Transport asserted that uplifting a female to that position in a patriarchal society is a feat which must celebrated and commended by all, hence she was taken aback when the president of the country who is supposed to lead the nation in that regard failed to acknowledge the nomination.
“I was actually very surprised that even president Akufo-Addo could not bring himself even to express any feeling and any impression about the nomination. I think that no matter how caustic our politics is, we should remember to wish each other well. In that regard, he failed to show leadership, he failed to show statesmanship and he also failed to take into consideration the fact that over 52 percent of this population are women.
They even failed to acknowledge that because they themselves had been unable to pulled it off, it was never going to be easy for another large political party to do same,” she said in interview on Pan African Television.
Madam Joyce Mogtari also criticized the First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo for not acknowledging the nomination of her colleague woman to that higher political position.
“The First Lady could also have shown leadership and reached out by issuing a statement saying congratulations, at least, as an example for all women out there, “ she added.
On July 6, 2020, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) announced the selection of Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang as running mate to its presidential candidate.
The announcement drew commendation from section of the public with some describing the selection as historic.
But the governing NPP at a press conference following the announcement said her nomination is an indication that the NDC and its presidential candidate do not take Ghanaians seriously.
Communication Director of the NPP, Yaw Buaben Asamoa, who addressed the press conference, said Prof. Opoku-Agyemang’s performance as a Minister for Education makes her unfit for the vice-presidential candidate position.
