31st December Movement to stage a comeback

National President, Nana Konadu Agyemang

The 31st December Women's Movement is undergoing some reorgani­sation and restructuring to make a huge comeback in Ghanaian politics, the Northern Regional Organ­iser of the movement, Ms Olivia Hawa Yahaya, has hinted.

According to her, the regaining of power by the National Democratic Congress (N'DC) had given the movement the impetus to revive its activities and recover its lost fame.

She said already, the National President, Nana Konadu Agyemang
Rawl­ings, was looking for funds for the activities of the move­ment.

The movement, which was formed by Mrs Rawlings dur­ing the era of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), went into dormancy after the NDC lost power in 2000.

During its heyday, it was a powerful force that rallied women, under its umbrella to embark on social interven­tions like the building of schools and empowerment of women entrepreneurs.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Bunkpurugu, Ms Yahaya said the body was first of all reviving its struc­tures at the district and regional levels to pave the way for the bigger national grouping.

"We have made some inroads in getting our local groups to reorganise for the work ahead, so Ghanaians should expect a vibrant organisation once again", she stated.

She added that the move­ment would revive projects that came to a standstill when it became dormant.

"We shall revive the corn mills, daycare centres, shea butter extraction projects, teak plantations and many more," she enumerated, adding that the members were currently taking stock of the various projects.

On the importance of the movement to the people of Ghana, Ms Yahaya said the Northern Region alone was.a beneficiary of almost 40 projects.

She cited the Ngan Wuni Basic School in Tamale, teak plantation in Savalugu, food processor in Tamale and a commu­nity centre in Salaga as some of the projects.

"All these have come to a standstill and we are hoping to revive them," she added.

She said those projects impacted positively on the lives of beneficiaries, especially the women who got empowered socially, economically and politically.

Meanwhile, this time around, apart from pro­moting the social and eco­nomic empowerment of women and children, the group is seriously promot­ing the participation of its members in both local and national politics.

Already the movement has something to cele­brate, since one of its members, Hajia Mavis Meliga Bawah, has been appointed as the district chief executive for Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo.

Hajia Meliga was the district organiser of the movement in the Bunkpurugu area.