Category: Blog

I have been the Finance Manager of the African Women’s Development Fund since August 2007 and despite all the challenges that come with this job, I have enjoyed every day with this organisation. I started my accounting profession working for an audit firm and I had the opportunity of learning at first hand what all the business sectors in Ghana have to offer. It was during this period that I decided that I would like to work with an NGO that is engaged in community service. Of course I was also certain that I would only work with an NGO with a vision and mission that meets my own career aspirations and AWDF is just the right organisation.

Over the years I have developed a keen interest in the issue of corruption in Africa. Our governments continue to promise zero tolerance for corruption in their various manifestos and campaign messages but are unable to translate this into a reality. I was expecting the NPP government in Ghana for instance to have done far more to fight the corruption in Ghana than they did in their eight year term in office.

There are various types of corruption but the one I want to dwell on is where individuals inflate prices on contracts and get huge “kick backs” or payments are made to beneficiaries who have not rendered any service to the state. This has led to situations where the state has lost huge sums of money. Money which could other wise have been used to develop the education and health sector; the key areas of importance in any developing country. Experts have linked the poverty levels in the country to the extent of corruption within both the state and the private sector.

The role of an accountant is very critical in ensuring good governance and accountability in any organisation. The accountant is the one whose primary responsibility is to ensure that the scenarios as I have indicated above do not materilaise or even if they do, their impact is insignificant.

The accountancy profession is based on a code of conduct that all members are expected to comply with. The fundamental principles of the profession include but are not limited to integrity, objectivity, confidentiality, professional behaviour, professional competence and due care.

I know through my years of experience that professionals who exhibit the principles above will not condone malpractices that will lead to the state or private sector losing huge sums of money. However in cases where these principles are lacking, the organisation is bound to lose because there will be no accountability.

I will entreat my colleagues in the profession to continue to uphold the values of the profession. Let us be seen as the once who will tell the truth at all times. Ghana will never get to the middle income status if people in responsible positions continue to waste resources at the expense of the tax payer.

Gertrude Bibi Annoh-Quarshie
Finance Manager

The retirement package for the last ex President of Ghana has rightly caused upset in many quarters. According to Joy FM, one of the leading radio stations in Ghana, ex President J.A. Kuffour’s retirement package will include 6 cars, two private residences befitting a former head of state and US$ 1 million dollars to set up a foundation. Personally, I just feel disappointed that a committee and parliament will approve such extravagances for ex Presidents. It’s not like Ghana is the richest countries in the world.

One of my pet subjects is that of leadership and having been a leadership trainer and also a recipient of various leadership styles I wish to provide a few tips for African politicians.

My top tips for African politicians are:

1. Question your motives for becoming a politician. If you wish to become rich then it is better to become an entrepreneur. Your money will be hard earned and yours to do with as you wish.

2. Okay, so you have made the decision that you wish to serve your people. Remember that you are a public servant and that your authority has been bestowed to you by the people. Ask yourself whether your actions meet the needs of your people.

3. Develop formal and informal communication channels in order to receive regular and trustworthy feedback about your performance. How else would you know you are doing a good job? Or a bad job for that matter?

4. If you find you have sycophants in your inner circle, remove them immediately. Sycophants have led to the downfall of many a president.

5. Surround yourself with skilled, knowledgeable people who are committed to developing your country. Do not give people jobs because they contributed to your political campaigns.

6. Take on board constructive criticism and change accordingly.

7. Take personal responsibility when things go wrong.

8. Read widely and learn from some of the greatest public servants of all time. I think a lot can be learnt from the many works of Martin Luther King and Barack Obama’s ‘The Audacity of Hope’.

9. Ensure you meet the needs of all your constituents, especially the most disenfranchised, women, the poor, the disabled, and people living in rural areas.

10. Aim for proportional representation of ethnicities and genders in your cabinet and ministries. This will go some way to allay fears people may have about tribalism and is a good thing in its own right

I could go on and on but I think this is enough to start on. African people deserve better leadership than we currently have

Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah
Programme Officer
Fundraising & Communications

‘Asante women, I pity you‘. I made this statement in 1900 when the British captured me after a long hard struggle to defeat the British who had insolently demanded the Golden Stool to sit on. To sit on indeed! What insolence, but I digress, we are in a new world now and we are no longer fighting the British, at least not in the warfare of old. The warfare today is about trade, globalisation, a new world order…all these new terms that I had hardly understand. What does this all mean? It appears to me that it means the British, the Americans and all our former (and probably current) colonial masters are still in control. The new currency is no longer slaves but trade agreements. But I digress still, you have to forgive me, I am an old spirit. My body died in 1921 but my spirit has lived on. Its a good thing to be a spirt, some people are scared of spirits, they call them ‘ghosts’ and think they will come and ‘catch’ you in the night. What ever for? No, spirits like myself travel the world. All the things we could not do when encumbered with a physical body we are free to do now…I went to the white man’s lands…England, America, Canada and observed the struggles of the women there. I went to the East, to India, Malaysia and Bangladesh and observed the struggles of the women there. And of course I have always watched over the women of Ghana. Please note that I said the women of Ghana and not the women of Asante. Of course I have a special place in my heart for the Asante women, I am a proud Asante woman but I watched the land that used to be the ‘Gold Coast’ evolve into ‘Ghana’ and so allow me to address the Ghanaian woman of today. Traditionally our people have always had a lot of respect for ‘the old woman’ of the house so I hope you will have the same respect for ‘the old spirit’ and listen to my words.

Women of Ghana:

* Do not allow people to decieve you about your culture and tell you that your culture is one that subjugates women. That is a plain lie. Ghanaian women of old were strong women who were well known for their abilities in farming and trading. Ghanaian women of today can also take inspirtaion from our ancestors and not only be farmers and traders but economists and heads of corporations.

* Polygamy is passe. Seriously, it may have had some value in the past. I have to admit for a lot of my women friends it was rather convenient to see your husband once every three months. You did not have to worry about cooking for him but in this day and age with HIV/AIDS I will not advice anyone to enter a polygamous marriage

* Get involved in Poliics. I know many of you think it is a dirty game but really it is only as dirty as the people involved…do not sit back and let ‘a few men’ decide your fate.

I have so much I want to say but perhaps you will stop listening so let me stop here. Oh one final thing, there are many more Ghanaian women heroines than myself, everytime someone wants an example of a Ghanaian heroine you trot out myself. To be honest, I am getting a bit bored of ‘Yaa Asantewaa this, Yaa Asantewaa that’…you need to start researching the lives of African women and documenting their stories.

Stay well my children

Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah (inspired by the spirit of Yaa Asantewaa)
Programme Officer
Fundraising & Communications

P.S: I attended a meeting of Ghanaian bloggers last month and the group decided to blog from the perspective of a historical figure on the 15th of January, ‘If she could blog…’. This is my contribution

I have only just started reading Barack Obama’s ‘The Audacity of Hope‘. I am literally only a few pages into the book, Barack describes a restlessness that characterises him and other politicians he knows. For himself he describes as a weakness ‘an inability to appreciate no matter how well things were going, those blessings that were right there in front of me.’ That’s a sentiment I can echo and got me thinking about my blessings in 2008:

* I found a job in my native Ghana and moved home from London.
* I started writing a monthly column for a parenting magazine.
* Through my job I had the opportunity to travel to countries I had never visited including South Africa, Mexico and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
* I met some amazing inspirational women – Ama Ata Aidoo and Pregs Govender spring to mind.
* I had the opportunity to start my life from scratch and create new dreams, opportunities and ambitions.

For 2009 I look forward to:

* Starting a bead making course
* Taking a weekend break every 3 months (as I resolved to do in a previous blog post after reading ‘What’s the point of the Revolution if we cannot dance‘
* Making time to collate and transcribe my grand aunt’s oral herstory
* Becoming a card carrying member of my chosen political party, and being more politically active.

What are you looking forward to doing in 2009?

Nana Sekyiamah
Programme Officer
Fundraising & Communication

Hmmm, the current political situation in Ghana is very tricky at the moment. If you read this blog regularly you will know that we (the AWDF staff) held a ‘blog off’ on our last day at work. As moderator of this blog, I can tell you that I have never had so many postings submitted in one day. Politics is obviously a subject that arouses all our passions.

At the moment we in Ghana are in a ‘wait and see’ mode. The EC held a press conference about an hour ago and at the moment we still do not have a winner. The NDC has a tiny lead but that can change depending on the results of the Tain constituency. Apparently the Tain Consitituency were not able to vote on the 28th and so will be voting this coming Friday. I can just see all the political parties getting in their 4 x 4s and heading straight to Tain. There have also been allegations of ‘irregularities’ by both parties and the EC is asking both parties to provide evidence so they can investigate. I am wondering how long this process is going to drag on. I am tired already, I have been dreaming of the elections and feeling so stressed wondering what is going to happen. The sad thing is no party is going to be satisfied whatever the outcomes are. The country is clearly polarised between the two parties and for whoever emerges victorious close to 50% of the population will be unhappy. I have been totally ‘against’ the power sharing deals that have taken place on the African continent this year but have found myself wondering whether in this particular context there are genuine grounds for power sharing. What are your thoughts?

Nana Sekyiamah
Programme Officer
Fundraising & Communications

I listen to discussions on politics and read about politics with keen interest at every level. I am always amazed at the passion, knowledge and ignorance with which people speak. Indeed Ghana has advanced in deepening democracy in the country and l feel very proud as a Ghanaian.

In just about 10 days Ghana will go for a presidential run-off; this time the race is between the two main political parties; National Democratic Congress (NDC) with the ‘change’ slogan and The National Patriotic Party (NPP) with the ‘moving forward slogan’. I am raising some questions about Grace’s blog. As a gender activist with a critical mind l like to ask the same questions in every situation. I hear and see people calling for change, change, change. But have you actually critically analysed issues and situations? Have you compared events before, now and after? Have you analysed the risk factors and looked at anticipated results of the change that you are calling for? Are you calling for change just because NPP has stayed two years in office and some government officials have become arrogant? Please let us not confuse assertiveness with arrogance! Have you dispassionately and using non-partisan and non-tribal lens analysed progress of development and women’s welfare in the country? What has been the record of both par ties when it comes to women and children. Which party has institutionalised a school feeding programme and the National Health Insurance Scheme? A word to the wise is enough!

My dearest sister, until you pause and do that and concretely establish reasons for change in a convincingly manner lets stop promoting change. What is the point in change if it is not going to improve the quality of lives of Ghanaians; women and children particularly but rather going to send us back to the dark days in Ghana. Stop comparing oranges with mangos and putting square pegs in round holes. Ghana can never be Zimbabwe nor vice versa.

AFTER ALL FORWARD EVER; LONG LIVE GHANA, LONG LIVE THE AFRICAN WOMEN’S MOVEMENT

Nafi Chinery
Programme Officer
Capacity Building

The political atmosphere in the country is as charged as ever. Even non political people such as myself are taking a stand and in fact this is good for the political maturity of the nation. I am not a registered member of any political party and I do not see myself bearing a party card in the near future. But times dictates that my voice be heard. Times require that I no longer keep quiet and allow those who know nothing about my needs to make and impose a decision on me. Times demand that I make my own selfish needs plain. A desire to see that I live in a free and prosperous nation. A desire to see my children get the best of education here in this dear mother land called Ghana. A desire to see that my extended family who live in the villages of Suhum in those family cocoa farm lands get free and effective health care. A desire to see that maternal mortality is reduced and child survival rates are increased. A desire to see that money will not be a stumbling block for that financially challenged but brilliant young lady to attain higher education. A desire to see that I do not ever ever have to queue up to buy fuel to run my good old faithful jalopy. These are times to speak up and I encourage all freedom loving Ghanaians to speak up. I say VOTE FOR NANA AKUFFO ADDO, VOTE for the NPP. A vote for Nana Akuffo Addo means a vote for free secondary education; A vote for Nana Akuffo Addo means a vibrant economy; A vote for Nana Akuffo Addo means A better health system; A vote for Nana Akuffo Addo means freedom of Speech (Very very important); A vote for Nana Akuffo Addo means WE ARE MOVING FORWARD.

Please GHANAIANS help us all MOVE FORWARD. Please remember to exercise your franchise on December 28, 2008. Vote Nana Akuffo Addo; Vote for real progress. WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD

Beatrice Boakye-Yiadom
Acting Grants Manager

As you can imagine the women of AWDF are very political and we have been having very spirited discussions on politics. We easily agree on the importance of having women in parliament, women as decision makers, and on representational politics but when it comes to the subject of NPP and NDC (the two main political parties in Ghana) we are not all of ‘one mind’.

To that end we have decided to have a ‘blog off’ between the various political factions. Grace has kicked off with her support for ‘Yeresesam’ and I invite all my colleagues to join in.

Nana Sekyiamah
Programme Officer
Fundraising & Communications

Ghana’s political atmosphere is charged with a lot of slogans in the bid to choose the president of the nation. How exciting!

Ghanaians are very sharp and wide awake to the democratic dispensation prevailing in the country and elsewhere on the African continent now. Surely, we must continue to move our country forward, but we NEED TO CHANGE as we do that. WHY?

BECAUSE, we need to learn lessons from our sister nations. Keeping one party in government for more than two terms is a recipe for complacency, arrogance, perpetuation of selfishness, greed, corruption and what have you. We all can rightly guess the consequences of such behaviours all over Africa. It’s not wise to experience all situations before advising oneself. Sometimes, one needs to LEARN from other people’s experiences. We know of the Idi Amins, the Mobutu Seseseko’s of old and we are not mindless of the Mugabe’s of today. Ghanaians do not need to get there at all!

We are blessed with many great women and men in Ghana. The two contestants for the presidency, Professor Atta Mills and Nana Akuffo Addo Danquah are all great and illustrious sons of Ghana. They all merit the presidential position. But the thing is the National Patriotic Party (NPP) has reigned for two terms so that‘s ok for now. The CPP has proved to Ghanaians that they are not ready yet. May be they would by the year 2016 when we would change again (one term is reasonably too short). Otherwise we bring NPP back into governance. My people, lets CHANGE while we move forward.

To this end, I urge you all, VOTEZ Professor Mills!!!

Grace Amenyogbeli
Administration Manager

Is 2008 the year of politics? I think I have had politics on the ‘membrane’ the whole year…Ken Livingstone losing the ‘Mayorship’ of London (whilst I was still resident there), the difficult decision of should I support Hillary Clinton because she is female or Barack Obama because he is black (even though I have no vote in America), I observed the shambles of the Kenyan and Zimbabwean elections and looked forward to the Ghanaian elections. Earlier this year I queued for 5 hours to register to vote and on the 7th of December queued for 6 hours to cast my vote. Now that a run off has been declared between the incumbent and the opposition parties I guess I am going to have to queue all over again.

I have a strong belief in representational politics and standpoint theory – the belief that if you are from a particular standpoint you are more likely to be able to emphatise with someone from a similar standpoint. At least that’s my laywoman’s understanding of standpoint theory, so women politicians for example are more likely to vote in a Domestic Relations Bill and Oil investors in the US are more likely to vote Republican. I am aware of the limits of representational politics so I do not need a dreadlocked, middle class Ghanaian woman, aged 30 to speak up for women’s rights in Ghana but I do need a significant number of women parliamentarians in Ghana. Alas, it appears that I am to have less women parliamentarians in the next Ghanaian parliament than the previous one.

According to the Daily Graphic of December 11, 2008, 103 women contested the parliamentary elections (In 2004, 104 contested) but so far only 5 new women parliamentary candidates have emerged victorious. 4 of them on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party and 1 on the ticket of the Convention People’s Party, the issue this raises for me is do political parties select female candidates to run in their ‘strongholds’. It is well known that some areas of Ghana are strongholds of particular parties so in my local constituency of Tema West the NPP is almost guaranteed victory no matter who they select to represent the party hence Ms Irene Naa Torshie Addo winning on the NPP’s ticket. Personally, I doubt very much if ‘Naa’ won on the basis of her vision for the area.

If Ghana is to have more women MPs then political parties need to take the issue of gender parity seriously. What has worked in other parts of the world (the Nordic countries come to mind) has been a quota system for women. I would suggest that Ghanaian political parties adopt a similar strategy and have ‘women only lists’ for a proportion of their ‘strongholds’. This will indicate that political parties are taking the issue of gender parity seriously and will be one sure way of getting more women MPs. The next Ghanaian parliament is going to have 18 women MPs out of 230. I think that’s abhorrent. What are your thoughts?

Nana Sekyiamah
Programme Officer
Fundraising & Communications