34 Women Achievers Receive Recognition.
Thirty-Four Ghanaian women who have distinguished themselves in their various fields of endeavour have been honoured.
The women received awards in education, health, national security, media and public service, mining and public service, banking, tourism, building and construction, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), among other sectors.
Dubbed, the Ghana Women of Excellence Awards, the event was held at the Accra International Conference Centre on the theme, 'Empowering the Ghanaian Woman for National Development”.
Jointly organised by the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs and Top Brass Ghana, the event climaxed International Women's Day celebration last Tuesday.
Some of the award winners were Mrs Gifty Affenyi-Dadzie, a former President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and member of the Council of State in the Kufuor administration, who was honoured for her contribution to media and public service; Ms Anna Bossman, acting Commissioner of CHRAJ, for her role in ensuring law and order; Ms Elizabeth Adjei, the first female Director of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), for national security; Prof. Ama Ata Aidoo, author and playwright, for culture and literature, and Dr Joyce Rosalind Aryee, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, for mining and public service.
Others were Dr Grace Afua Bediako, Government Statistician, for national statistics; the Very Reverend Ama Afo Blay, the first female Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), for education; Mrs Dinah Naa Ameley Ayensu, Chief Executive Officer of Fredina Tours, for tourism; Col Faustina Cecilia Yebuah (retd), the first woman to be promoted to the rank of full Colonel in the Ghana Armed Forces, for health and military, and Ms Charlotte Erekaar Azurago, a professional teacher, for education.
The First Lady, Mrs Ernestina Naadu Mills, in a speech read on her behalf by Ms Juliana Azumah-Mensah, Minister of Women and Children's Affairs, paid glowing tribute to women for the significant role they played in the socio-economic development Ghana.
She stressed that 'women bring about significant changes and play a significant role in the economy, religion, art and culture'.
Mrs Mills noted however, that women had gone through a chequered history in Ghana, despite their contribution to the country's development, and mentioned Yaa Asantewa as one of the greatest women in the history of the country.
She expressed joy that women were now occupying sensitive positions, such as the Chief Justice, the Speaker of Parliament and the acting Commissioner of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).
The First Lady said the awardees had been an inspiration and role models to women and girls in Ghana, outlining that 'their contribution to national development is immeasurable'.
She said the contribution of the award winners had helped renew the government's confidence in the significant role women play in national development.