'Prof. Jane Naana is Vice President of Ghana; not for women and girls' — Victoria Hamah slams Hawa Koomson over Obuasi SHTS sex scandal comments

The founder of the Progressive Organisation for Women’s Advancement (POWA), Dr Victoria Lakshmi Hamah, has challenged the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) National Women’s Organiser, Hawa Koomson, over her criticism of Vice-President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, whom she accused of “disgracing women.”

Dr Hamah argued that Professor Opoku-Agyemang must be assessed primarily on her responsibilities as Vice-President rather than being held to gender-specific expectations because she is Ghana’s first female occupant of the office.

In a statement, POWA said the Vice-President should be recognised as a national leader with responsibilities spanning all areas of governance, rather than being treated as the person solely accountable for challenges affecting women and girls.

“Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang is the Vice President of Ghana, not merely the Vice President for women and girls,” portions of the statement read.

The organisation acknowledged that protecting the rights and welfare of women and girls remained a national priority but cautioned against placing a disproportionate burden on one public official because of her gender.

It said the Vice-President’s responsibilities covered economic transformation, education, institutional development, social protection and international relations, among other areas.

According to POWA, an excessive focus on her gender when evaluating her performance could undermine the broader significance of her election to Ghana’s second-highest political office.

“Her historic achievement should broaden the horizons of women’s leadership, not limit the scope of her responsibilities,” POWA stated.

The organisation described it as contradictory for society to celebrate the election of Ghana’s first female Vice-President while expecting her public role to revolve almost exclusively around issues affecting women.

It maintained that women in political leadership should be recognised for their capacity to contribute to all aspects of national development, rather than being confined to responsibilities traditionally associated with their gender.

POWA, however, recognised that women leaders have an important role in promoting gender equality, protecting vulnerable groups and supporting policies that improve the welfare of women and girls.

It stressed that these responsibilities must be exercised within the framework of institutional mandates, collective governance and the rule of law.

“A woman’s attainment of high political office must not create additional expectations that would not ordinarily be imposed on her male counterparts,” the statement said.

POWA also highlighted the responsibilities of state institutions mandated to address issues affecting women, children and vulnerable persons.

These include the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and the courts.

The organisation called for these institutions to receive adequate resources and support while being held accountable for the discharge of their respective duties.

It argued that although the Vice-President could champion policy reforms, promote coordination among state institutions and advocate stronger protections for women and girls, she could not be expected to perform the duties of agencies legally responsible for investigating complaints, protecting victims, enforcing the law and administering justice.

"Institutional responsibility must be respected,” POWA further emphasised.

The organisation urged political actors and the public to distinguish between expecting national leaders to support women's rights and demanding that one individual personally account for every incident affecting women and girls.

It added that Professor Opoku-Agyemang, like every other public official, must remain open to legitimate public scrutiny, but insisted that assessments of her performance should be guided by the responsibilities of her office and the available evidence.

“Accountability should be evidence-based and proportionate to the responsibilities of the office concerned,” the statement noted.

POWA said imposing additional gender-specific expectations on the Vice-President solely because she is the first woman to occupy the office would be unfair and inconsistent with the advancement of women’s leadership.

The organisation further stressed that protecting and promoting the welfare of women and girls required collective action from government, Parliament, law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, civil society organisations, traditional authorities, families and communities.

It called on political parties to put the protection and advancement of women above partisan interests and encourage public discussions that strengthen institutions and contribute to national development.

“We call on all political parties to place the protection and advancement of women above partisan consideration and to promote a political culture in which women leaders are assessed fairly, institutions are held accountable, and public debate contributes meaningfully to national development,” the statement further added.