Former Member of Parliament for Sissala East Municipality, Amidu Issahaku Chinnia, has raised concerns regarding the lack of women representation in the shortlisted nominees for Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executive (MMDCE) positions across the Upper West Region.
On February 2, 2025, the regional vetting committee of the NDC submitted 33 nominees out of 168 applicants to the national level for further vetting. However, no women were among the shortlisted nominees, despite 8 women having applied, with many holding advanced degrees, including masters degrees.
This situation has sparked strong reactions across the region, with gender activists, chiefs, and opinion leaders holding press conferences calling on President John Mahama to intervene and reverse the decision made by the regional vetting committee.
Adding his voice to the calls for greater gender inclusion, Chinnia expressed his concerns. He wrote:
“I’m told 8 females applied for the position of MMDCEs in the Upper West Region. I am further told seven out of the eight hold master’s degrees, and one holds a first degree.”
Chinnia continued, questioning the reasoning behind the exclusion of women from the final shortlist:
” It’s therefore curious that the NDC in UWR didn’t find even one of the eight competent enough to be recommended among three in each constituency for final selection in Accra.”
He further emphasized that his concern was not about supporting any particular candidate but about ensuring women’s participation in the region’s political and governance structures:
” I’m not having interest in any particular candidate becoming MMDCE in any constituency, but I am just worried that women, who constitute the majority of our population, can’t have a single appointment out of eleven in the Upper West Region if the recommended names from the region stand.”
Chinnia compared the current situation with the gender progress made under President Nana Addo’s first and second terms, where women were appointed as MMDCEs. In the first term, two women were appointed, and in the second term, three women were initially appointed, ultimately leaving two in the role.
He added that he had expected improvement in gender inclusion, not a regression:
“What we would have expected is an improvement from the previous government, not retrogression to zero.”
Chinnia also called on President Mahama to uphold his commitment to affirmative action for women in leadership positions:
“What has happened to President JM’s promise of at least 30% women appointments? President JM must step in to reverse the zero compliance to affirmative action in the UWR in respect of MMDCEs appointments.”
The former Mp concluded by emphasizing the importance of involving women in the democratic process and development:
“Women must be involved in our democracy and our development process. WOMEN MATTER IN OUR POLITICS, NOT ONLY IN CAMPAIGNS BUT IN LEADERSHIP IN GOVERNMENT.”
