Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful says she is reassessing her future in public life following a demonstration by a section of NPP supporters, rejecting a decision to bar males from contesting the NPPs 16 female sitting MPs.
The national executive committee of the party took the affirmative action decision last week to encourage participation of women in politics but some members of the Party have kicked against it.
Ahead of a meeting on Monday by the Party to review the decision, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful told JoyNews, she is shocked at the personal attacks directed at her and other female MPs of the party rising out of the NEC decision.
“If you listen to the airwaves” she lamented, “it’s as if we’re the most hopeless bunch of MPs ever produced in the history of politics in Ghana.
“I’m a very sad woman. It is forcing me to rethink many of the assumptions that we made”.
Despite the fact that there’s a silent group of people urging them on and encouraging them not be discouraged, Ms Owusu said “it is very, very hard when you have people that you’ve devoted your life to serving, making these uncomplimentary comments about us.”
While she would not categorically say whether or not she would continue to serve in public office, she admitted that “some of us are going to reassess our role in public life, whichever way it is, because of this incident.”
Meanwhile Member of Parliament for Abirem in the Eastern region, Esther Obeng Dapaah is commending the NEC for its decision and says the women are ready to fight to retain their seats.
“We are not afraid of competition,” she said, “We are prepared to face anybody.”
Ms Dapaah insisted that female representatives are “women of substance” and “can fight and win our seats”.
However, she said, it was for the benefit of our children and the next generation, the women who will be coming to parliament, that she and other female MPs have supported the decision by NEC.
She reiterated that affirmative action is not easy and the NEC should be commended for taking the decision.
<<Print>>