Majority leader must apologise for his despicable, shameful attacks on Prof. Opoku-Agyemang and women in general – Deputy NDC Women Organizer

Abigail Elorm Akwambea Mensah, Deputy National Women’s Organiser of the opposition National Democratic Congress, has called on Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo Markin to render an apology to women over the latter’s “despicable personal attack” on Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang.

In a statement, she described the statements by the majority leader as a shameful act.
The Effutu MP had claimed that former president John Mahama made the wrong choice for running mate, as they represent the “same old NDC.”

The Majority Leader was contributing to the concluding debate on the State of the Nation Address on March 11.

“It is the same old NDC. It is the same old John Mahama. Mr Speaker, perish the thought, should he even get the opportunity he has only four years constitutionally. There would be no sense of urgency in him because he has nothing to lose. Even if you look at his choice of running mate, he could not get somebody that one could say that they are planning for the future.

“The person is over 70 years, we have no succession plan. From day one, their government will be in crisis. They went to pick the very old person who could not perform at the Education Ministry.

“As I submitted earlier, if you even look at how they paraded their leadership, clearly they have not put in place a visionary leadership for the country’s long-term future.

“The flagbearer, constitutionally has just one term. Should that happen, the flagbearer has chosen a running mate, Mr. Speaker. Under normal circumstances, they should have given us a running mate who can offer a future to Ghana.

“Like we have given a flagbearer who represents the future of Ghana. You have brought a running mate who retired from UCC as VC and came to the Ministry of Education to perform abysmally. The E-blocks she could not complete them. She did only 29. Today, you say the running mate should be the future of this country,” he said.

Reacting to this, Abigail Elorm Akwambea Mensah called on the lawmaker to unconditionally apologise to Professor Opoku-Agyemang as a person and women in general for the denigration of womanhood.

She said “As a nation that is striving to encourage more women to come to the decision table and coming on the back of Ghana recently participating in the International Women’s Day celebration on the theme “ Inspiring Inclusion”, this latest attack by Afenyo-Markin on womanhood only derails the women inclusivity efforts by us all as a nation.

Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang is not just a woman, but an accomplished and celebrated Woman of society. Her credentials as an Academic, Scholar, First Female Vice Chancellor of a Public University, Education Minister among others, endears her to all women and is indeed a trailblazer.
Her achievements at the Education Ministry are very remarkable and obvious to downplay.”

She added “Such attacks by Afenyo Markins and others are intended to strengthen political stereotyping against women and crowd out women out of the already masculine political space.

As a woman, I call on fellow women to rally strongly behind Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang in her quest to make history as the First Female Vice President of Ghana.
Let us make history together; and let’s us bring pride to womanhood.”

Read the full statement below

AFENYO-MARKIN SHOULD APOLOGIZE TO WOMEN FOR HIS DESPICABLE PERSONAL ATTACK ON PROFESSOR NAANA JANE OPOKU AGYEMANG

I have become aware of an unfortunate and despicable attack on the person of the NDC’s 2024 Running Mate- Professor Naana Jane Opoku AMajorityby the NPP’s Mojority Leader, Hon. Alexander Afenyo-Markin; as same has been reported by several media outlets.

As a Ghanaian Woman and a Deputy National Women’s organizer of the NDC, I condemn this shameful act in no uncertain terms.

I further call on the legislator to do the needful by apologizing unconditionally to Professor Opoku Agyemang as a person and Women in general for the denigration of womanhood.

As a nation that is striving to encourage more women to come to the decision table and coming on the back of Ghana recently participating in the International Women’s Day celebration on the theme “ Inspiring Inclusion”, this latest attack by Afenyo-Markin on womanhood only derails the women inclusivity efforts by us all as a nation.

Politically, Prof. Opoku Agyemang’s maiden selection as President John Mahama’s 2020 Running Mate made her the first female Running Mate or Vice Presidential Candidate by a major political party in Ghana.
Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang’s emergence onto the political landscape has undeniably brought decency and dignity to the position of Running Mate.

It is therefore not surprising that her selection as Running Mate in 2020 helped the NDC to significantly increase its parliamentary strength in the Central Region by moving from Four (4) to Thirteen (13) Parliamentary Seats.

Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang’s credentials, track record and political achievements obviously makes the NPP jittery and uncomfortable, hence this shameful well-rehearsed personal attacks on her.

It is quite ironically that a Party that forced a man aged over 70 years on Ghanaians in 2016, is today campaigning against an accomplished Woman on grounds of age.

Such attacks by Afenyo Markins and others are intended to strengthen political stereotyping against women and crowd out women out of the already masculine political space.

God bless us all, and God bless our nation Ghana.

Signed;
Abigail Elorm Akwambea Mensah
Deputy National Women’s Organizer
National Democratic Congress