The running mate of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has encouraged all Ghanaian women to help end the economic hardship in the country by voting the NDC into power in the December 7 general elections.
For her, women who constituted the larger percentage of the country’s population, had higher stake in changing the economic fortunes of the country by voting for a President who has the interest of the country at heart.
She said the flag bearer of the NDC, John Dramani Mahama, had demonstrated to all Ghanaians during his previous administration that he cared for the ordinary Ghanaian, particularly women.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang made the remarks during her tour at some markets in Accra on Thursday, August 15, 2024.
The tour was to enable her to interact with the market women and traders as well as to introduce the party’s policies regarding traders and women to them.
She first visited the Mallam Atta market; Kaneshie market and ended her tour at the Makola market, where she took turns to address the market women.
During the tour, she met the leadership of the various markets, giving them opportunity to voice out their concerns.
Prof Opoku-Agyemang was accompanied by some top officials of the party, including former appointees, past Member of Parliaments and aspiring parliamentary candidates in the constituencies she visited.
At a mini rally in each of the three markets, the NDC running mate said during the previous administration of John Mahama, many modern markets were constructed across the country to ease the burden of market women.
She said NDC as a party belonged to everyone and that the party would introduce policies that would benefit all Ghanaians.
For her, considering the prevailing economic conditions in the country, it would be suicidal to retain the NPP in government.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang indicated that it was only the NDC’s leader, John Dramani Mahama, who could turn the country’s economy around to bring hope to Ghanaians.
She explained, for instance, that the Women’s Development Bank that the party wanted to introduce would create many opportunities for market women to access loans without collateral.
She said many market women, particularly those with small capital, are unable to access loan facilities due to stringent collateral conditions demanded by the commercial banks.
That, she said, the Women’s Department Bank would make it easier for all traders to access loans without any stress.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang expressed the concern that the microfinance companies that used to give loans to traders, particularly market women, had been collapsed by the Akufo-Addo-led government.
For her, when women are well-established financially, it would create happy homes and a prosperous nation.
She noted that issues affecting women remained a major priority for the NDC, hence the party’s continued efforts in introducing pro-women policies.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang therefore advised all party members to take every necessary step to ensure that their names are found in the voters register so that they could vote in the December general elections.
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