Ursula Owusu challenges Oye Lithur

Policy for Friday, June 7, 2019

Source: peacefmonline.com

2019-06-07

Communications Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, interviewed Nana Oye Lithur, former Minister of Gender, Child Protection and Social Protection, following recent comments on gender equality.

She said the unfortunate comment by the former Minister of the Me was a proof of "feminism in the chair".

She reacted to criticism of President Nana Akufo-Addo for her recent comments on increasing opportunities for women in Ghana and the need to strengthen gender dynamics.

In taking part in a recent panel discussion at the Women Deliver 2019 World Conference in Vancouver, Canada, President Akufo-Addo suggested that women need power to make decisions.

However, 30-year-old Arab feminist Alaa Murabit disagreed with Akufo-Addo, saying that many women are already self-reliant, but have been repressed by systematic structures that close their doors to them.

According to her, "it is extremely important to recognize that there are incredible and dynamic women to whom the door remains closed." But, responding to her request, President Akufo-Addo said that "what you say will not open the doors".

The president insisted that more and more women be empowered to make decisions about their societies, their nations, and the world at large, just like their male counterparts.

However, some people struggle to challenge the President's commitment to women and their understanding of women's issues or their well-being.

However, addressing the media on Friday, June 7, 2019 at the Ministry of Information in Accra, Ms. Owusu-Ekuful warned that "instead of challenging it (Akufo-Addo), we should wake us from our slumber ".

She wondered why some women activists in Ghana are only concerned about writing about social media about gender issues and do not encourage women to take on leadership roles. .

Ms. Owusu-Ekuful did not understand how Ms. Lithur, for example, had remained silent on women's issues throughout the eight-year government of the National Democratic Congress, suddenly regained her voice.

She recounted how Oye Lithur and other NDC activists who criticize the president today are the same people who signed a petition in favor of Montie 3 who insulted and threatened Chief Justice Georgina Wood. , to be released from prison.

According to her, it was time for women to use their numbers to advance their program.

She explained that the majority of the president's criticism does not seem to understand gender issues.

Ms. Owusu-Ekuful said that "some who criticize him (Akufo-Addo) do not know anything about badual militancy".

Dead movement

She explained that the President's call for dynamism in women's advocacy would revive "the dead women's movement in Ghana". According to her, "the women's movement in Ghana is dead". She said Ghanaian women had to compete for political positions encouraging each other, "It's not just talking, it's an action that is needed."

Stop crying

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey said, "Feminism is not about being domineering and abusive. , "Unfortunately, we will not go anywhere."

According to her, what President Akufo-Addo said "was the truth.
Unfortunately, we all do politics with. "

She said the president was speaking in the context of Africa and Ghana and that his statements were an incentive for action, saying that "if we do not act, the government will enact all laws and nothing will change. "

The Minister of Foreign Affairs urged those who said they were crying because of what the president said to face the reality and stop crying.

"So, for those who cry, stop crying and get to work".

Open doors

In response to Ms. Murabit's badertions that women are not open, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama, said that girls and women should not sit down and wait until doors are open to them.

She said that they should get up and open doors.