Why Chereponi Seat should be retained by a woman

Story: Salome Donkor
THE passing away of the Member of Parliament (MP) for Chereponi Constituency in the Northern Region, Mrs Doris Asibi Seidu, on Saturday, August 1, has dealt a painful blow not only to her family members, constituents and parliament, but also to women activists longing for improvement in the representation of women in politics and decision-making.
This means a reduction in the already low number of women in the current 230-member Legislature, from 20 to 19. Her death means a bye-election will be held to find a replacement, but it is not certain whether a women will win the bye-election to replace her.
In 2004, 104 women contested the parliamentary election out of which 25, comprising 20 females from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and five from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) were elected.
Mrs Seidu won the Chereponi seat on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in 2004 and retained it in the 2008 elections when she polled 9,188 out of the 17,559 valid votes cast, representing 53 per cent of the votes.
Achieving an improvement in the representation of women in politics and decision-making had been an issue that had attracted the attention of gender advocates and women rights groups.
The number of women in the current Parliament makes it a herculean to meet the international target of a minimum of 30 per cent women in political decision making positions
Average women constitute only 17 per cent of representatives in parliaments across the world, and Rwanda is the first country in Africa to meet the 50 per cent quota as stipulated in the African Union (AU's) Protocol to the African Charter on Rights of Women in Africa.
During the 2008 elections the Women in Law and Development (WiLDAF) Ghana consistently highlighted on the need for the various political parties to work with their women’s wings and women’s rights groups to put in place affirmative action to address the abysmal performance of women in the parliamentary elections, under its “We Know Politics” project.
WiLDAF maintains that the country needs affirmative action to step up the exposure of women to the public political positions. That assertion challenges her with an awesome responsibility of making the voices of her constituents heard in parliament.
During the elections, there were specific activities and statements from women's groups to political parties to field more women in safe seats, as there were others to directly strengthen individual women's capacity to stand and win seats as parliamentary candidates.
The Women's Manifesto Coalition hosted by ABANTU for Development also initiated actions supported by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), ActionAid, Frederick Ebert Foundation FES and others in support of that goal.
Gender and policy advocacy organisations recognise that improving the lives of women and other members of society require a balanced gender representation in government structures by promoting greater responsiveness to women in politics and decision-making.
Women would also have improved chances of being elected to political office to promote gender-balance in decision-making at all levels so that their interests and basic needs will continue to be met by influencing policies from a gender perspective and addressing inequalities and injustices in social relationships.
A statement issued by WiLDAF, Ghana, said the passing away of Mrs Seidu is a blow to the women’s movement considering the low representation of women in the current parliament in particular and political decision making bodies in general, adding that the MP will be remembered for winning her seat in the Chereponi constituency for the second time.
The statement called on political parties that will contest the Chereponi seat, to honour the hard work and dedication of the late MP by nominating female candidates for the upcoming bye-election.
It said the current 8.7 per cent representation of women in Parliament of 230 demonstrates the unwillingness to meet the international target of a minimum of 30 per cent women in political decision making positions, adding that since the return of democratic rule in 1992, women’s participation in government and public structures at both the national and local level has not been the best, given the much touted progress Ghana has made in democratic governance.
The statement pointed out that a majority of democratic enthusiasts consider Ghana’s democracy to be gradually consolidating and that Ghana must, as a matter of course, adhere fully to democratic values and principles, among which is respect for women’s rights.
The statement expressed the condolences of Board and Staff of WiLDAF Ghana to the Women’s Caucus of Parliament for the loss of an astute member and a friend, adding that “we are saddened by the death of Mrs Seidu”.
The MP died at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, after battling with a protracted illness, 2009.
Mrs Seidu, who was a teacher and social worker by profession, served on the Education and Mines and Energy committees in parliament. She is survived by a husband and one child.