We Must Work Hard to Merit Our Demands For Positions- MP for Biakoye Urges Ghanaian Women
The quest for gender parity in Ghana’s governance must be driven by a relentless commitment to meritocracy and professional excellence, Member of Parliament (MP) for Biakoye, Hon. Jean Marie Formadi, said on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, March 25, 2026.
In her contribution to a statement in commemorating International Women’s Day, by Hon. Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe, the MP for Ada and First Deputy Majority Whip, Hon Formadi emphasized that increased female representation is vital, but the women seeking these roles must demonstrate they are the most qualified for the job.
She noted that gaining a seat at the table is only half the battle; maintaining it requires a standard of performance that leaves no room for doubt.
“We also have to work very hard to merit the position that we are seeking for,” she stated, adding that even as women campaign for more appointments, those opportunities must be backed by a proven track record of hard work.
The lawmaker provided a sobering statistical overview of where Ghana currently stands on the global stage regarding female political participation.
Out of 188 countries, Ghana currently occupies the 149th position, a ranking that Formadi described as a signal that the nation “needs to do more.”
She highlighted the slow growth within the Ghanaian Parliament, noting that the representation has crawled from 29 women in the 6th Parliament to 40 in the 8th, and finally to 41 in the current 9th Parliament.
This 14.5% representation remains significantly lower than the 30% international benchmark Ghana aims to achieve.
Beyond the walls of Parliament, the Biakoye MP called for a cultural shift in how women are perceived in the workforce.
She expressed a desire to see more women breaking barriers in traditionally male-dominated trade sectors.
“I want to see more women mechanics. I want to see more women carpenters. I want to see more women masons,” she declared.
The female MP argued that the presence of women in these fields benefits the nation as a whole because women are “very meticulous,” “sincere,” and “less corrupt,” ensuring that they consistently work in the national interest.
On the logistical and financial hurdles women face, Hon. Formadji touched on the sensitive issue of funding and social stigma.
She pointed out that women often struggle to secure the necessary financial support for their campaigns without facing unfair scrutiny or derogatory assumptions.
To remedy this, she called for greater empowerment so that female leaders do not have to approach their male counterparts “with a cup in hand.”
She urged the Speaker to encourage male colleagues to support women based on their professional capabilities rather than through lenses of dependency or transaction.
While celebrating the historic achievement of having a female Vice President in Ghana, Hon. Formadi reminded her colleagues that the work is far from over.
She urged for a collective effort to protect the seats currently held by women while paving a sustainable, merit-based path for the next generation of female leaders.
Source: Felix NYAABA//expressnewsghana.com
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