Former Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya, Hawa Koomson, has likened the growing intimidation of women in Ghana to the “culture of silence” associated with the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) era.
She has, therefore, called on President John Dramani Mahama to intervene and secure the release of women who had been arrested, detained or remanded over statements they allegedly made.
Madam Koomson made the call when she addressed the media during a demonstration by women, dubbed “Women Voice Matter” in Accra yesterday.
The protesters, dressed mainly in black and red, converged at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) offices and marched to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.
They carried placards with inscriptions including: “Madam Veep, Speak Up Against Abuse of Women,” “Let Our Women Breathe Without Fear” and “Don’t Abuse People’s Rights Because Your Wife Is Hurt.”
Amid brass band music, dancing and chanting, the protesters also called for the release of Salomey Baffoe, chanting “Mahama, Free Salomey!”
Madam Koomson, who is seeking to become the National Women’s Organiser of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) said the demonstration was to demand action over what she described as the intimidation of women.
“We are telling President Mahama to intervene. We are also pleading with the Vice President, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, to engage President Mahama to act because what is happening is cowing women,” she said.
According to her, women were being intimidated “too much”, a situation she likened to Ghana’s past periods of military rule.
She recalled alleged abuses suffered by women during the PNDC era, saying “The era where, if you had money, women were abused horrendously. Canes were applied to their private parts, which was not fine.”
Madam Koomson, therefore, appealed to the Vice President, Ghana’s first female Vice President, to speak up for women and ensure that their concerns received the attention they deserved.
She also accused the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) of failing to meet some of its promises to women.
“They promised Ghanaians Women’s Bank, creating jobs and a three-shift job system, but that is not what we are seeing,” she said.
PNDC comparison
The PNDC, led by then Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, governed Ghana from 1982 until the country returned to constitutional rule in 1993.
The National Reconciliation Commission (NRC), established to investigate human rights violations associated with Ghana’s periods of unconstitutional rule, documented cases of human rights abuses during the country’s military regimes.
It was against this historical background that Madam Koomson made her comparison between the current situation and the PNDC period.
She argued that the current treatment of women who speak publicly was inconsistent with what the NDC had promised women.
‘Women are unhappy’
One of the conveners of the demonstration, Madam Grace Akosua Amoabeng, said the protesters represented women who were unhappy about developments in the country.
She cited the case of Salomey, alleging that the woman was taken from her home late at night and transported to Accra, without her family knowing where she had been taken to.
“They drove her nine hours to Accra, without her family knowing where they were taking her to. Till day, Salomey is still in the grips of the police. We do not know where she is; we don’t know where the matter is going,” she said.
Madam Amoabeng alleged that other women had also been taken from their homes, describing the situation as unacceptable.
She further criticised the government over its promise to increase women’s representation in government to 30 per cent.
“How many women do we have in government currently? We can count the number of people who are currently ministers. I can tell you the cabinet ministers are only two women, but they promised us 30 per cent of women in government,” she said.
She also cited the proposed Women’s Development Bank and other economic empowerment measures as among the promises she said motivated women to support the government in the December 7 election.
“If we voted for this government and the promises the government made to women are not being looked at, but you are rather abusing and arresting us, what do we do?” she asked.
“We need to come out and speak against it. The government promised us so many things and we are not being protected as women. Our voices need to be heard. That is why you see so many women out here this morning,” she added.
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