The member of parliament for the North Dayi Constituency, Joycelyn Tetteh, has shared her views on how the Affirmative Action Bill empowers women parliamentarians, highlighting women’s readiness to serve in President Mahama’s government if given the opportunity.
She stressed the preparedness of women to serve, acknowledging that the peculiar challenges they face in getting elected, shape them to take up any opportunity that comes their way when in government.
In an exclusive interview with Happy 98.9 FM on Monday, January 20, 2025, the North Dayi MP recounted that she decided to enter parliament at the age of 28, ‘and I don’t think there is any task ahead of me that I wouldn’t be able to meet up to the challenge,’ she stated, highlighting her readiness to serve in any capacity that the president deems her fit enough to serve in.
When her views were sought in reference to the number of women appointed so far, Madam Jocelyn Tetteh applauded President Mahama for the women appointed so far. She emphasised, “We’re looking at 30% or more. .. He’s done quite well and we’re expecting he would do more”.
She added that such appointments have the tendency to encourage more women to take up leadership roles, citing the current first female Vice President, who has challenged more women to believe in the possibility of reaching the pinnacle of their careers. She underscored that if the President continues on the current trajectory of appointing 30% or more women into his government, “then, by 2028, women can achieve whatever they wish for themselves,” she stated.
With the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary majority, Madam Tetteh revealed that there are 32 women MPs, and that number is very encouraging and a giant leap forward. “They fought the battle, won, and are in Parliament; that is very refreshing and a step forward”.
Madam Tetteh’s attention was drawn to the fact that North Dayi, being in the Volta region of Ghana, is normally considered a safe seat for the NDC, and she might not have encountered difficulties as other women might have. To this, she disagreed, underscoring the fact that attacks on her person, people wanting a male to represent them, and the lack of support sometimes became very daunting.
“You only have to encourage yourself, because no one pushed you here”, she stated, underscoring the point that, “Once you decide to be part of a refuse dump, you cannot prevent the vulture from making a feast out of you. So you accept whatever comes out of the challenge,” she intimated.
Joycelyn Tetteh has served two terms in Parliament and is now in her third term. She recounts that her first attempt was against two opponents and she emerged victorious. In her second attempt, her detractors, thinking she won because she was a woman, brought another woman to contest her, and she won again.
“My third attempt, especially at the primaries, was very difficult, coming up against four other females and a male, which was the most difficult contest. I’ve opened the flood gates for more females to contest, and I’ve no qualms about it, believing what I’ve been able to do, any other female can achieve a similar feat. I don’t do anything to jeopardize the chances of other females”, she stressed.
Speaking on the Free Senior High School Policy introduced by the New Patriotic Party. Madam Tetteh opined that it was a collapsed policy, arguing that though it has helped a lot of people, there was the challenge of fee paying in some schools, including PTA dues. “I have three Senior High Schools in my constituency, and I know what I’m talking about if I dare say the policy wasn’t entirely free,” she stressed.
She added, there are situations where she had to buy mattresses, school bags and even “chalewate” for some students to go to school.
She also highlighted that second-cycle schools are supposed to be free, yet the prospectus students take to school costs ¢6,000, “then how free is the Senior High School policy?” The North Dayi MP rhetorically queried, pointing out that “I do not know how many women in my constituency can afford that amount for their wards to go to school”.
Touching on the Affirmative Action Bill as passed by the eighth Parliament, Madam Tetteh was of the opinion that it was a giant step towards women’s forward march. “When we’re called to the table, it wouldn’t be just being called to add up to numbers but, we form an integral part of decision making as the law establishes. It’s encouraging and gives us hope for the future”.