Accra, Jan. 28, - President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has
noted that scaling up the empowerment and the expansion of opportunities for
women are key to achieving sustainable development and prosperity for Ghana and
the African Continent.
He said women were central actors
in national growth, thus meeting the challenges of empowering them and ensuring
gender equality "is one of the best ways of mitigating poverty and
guaranteeing the progress and prosperity of our country and continent."
President Akufo-Addo made this
known at the first Gender and Development Initiative for Africa (GADIA)
Advocates Charge Awards held at the Flagstaff House in Accra.
The GADIA Advocates Charge (GACH)
Awards is a flagship initiative established by the President who is an African
Union Gender Champion to support sustainable gender equality and increase the
participation and progress of women within the private sector.
The awards will be conferred on a
specific number of prominent businessmen across the Continent who would be
charged by the President to take concrete and measurable steps within their
respective companies to enhance gender equality over a particular period of
time.
Noting that women were
mainstreamed in every economic sector of the country, President Akufo-Addo said
the promotion of gender equality at the work place, particularly in the private
sector, was a prerequisite for socio-economic development.
He said Ghana, and for that
matter Africa, could not eradicate poverty without paying attention to and addressing
the needs of women, who statistics indicated overwhelmed the population.
That was why, the President said,
his administration had instituted policies aimed at rapidly increasing Ghana's
future prosperity and creating a valued-added economy expected to create the
necessary number of high-paying jobs that would improve the living standards of
the people, especially women.
Government, he said, would ensure
that it stimulated Ghana's private sector growth and made gender equality part
and parcel of business, as women were a central part in every rapid development
narrative.
The President charged the
awardees to ensure that they promote gender equality in their respective
corporate environments as the country and the Continent worked towards inclusive
growth to unleash the potential of its peoples.
He further urged the top echelon
of corporate entities to increase their support for greater freedoms for women
and their participation in decision-making as they (women) could significantly
lower Africa's myriad of growth challenges.
Eight notable business people and
entrepreneurs were awarded for promoting gender equality in their businesses.
They would be required to espouse the importance of women inclusion in all
aspects of national development.
They were Mr Roy Aboku, Chief
Exectuve Officer (CEO) of the Ocelot/Investa Capital, Dr Kofi Amoah Abban, CEO
of Rigworld Services Limited, Dr Zibrim Yamusah, CEO of Yamusah Group of
Companies, Dr Kwabena Adjei, CEO of
Kasapreko Company Limited, and Dr Yaw Adu Gyamfi, CEO of Danpong Group of
Companies.
The others were Dr Osei Kwame
Despite, CEO of Despite Group of Companies, Mr Albert Osei, CEO of Koko King
Limited, and Mr Kwasi Twum, Founder and CEO of Multi Media Group Ltd.
President Akufo-Addo also conferred
on the Guinean leader and outgoung Chairperson of the African Union, Professor
Alpha Conde, the GADIA Achievement Award for demonstrating "excellence and
innovation" in the pursuit of gender equality on the Continent.
President Conde's award was received
on his behalf by Guinea's envoy to Ghana.
GNA
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