[ 2015-03-26 ]

Ghanaian society chauvinistic- Hamid suggests as NPP beats retreat on controversial policy
Mustapha Hamid, spokesperson of the New Patriotic
Party (NPP) flagbearer Nana Akufo-Addo, says the
Ghanaian society appears to be chauvinistic.

He was contributing to the recent controversy
sparked by the party's decision to allow only
women to contest 16 incumbent women MPs in the
party's primaries.

The biggest opposition party as part of plans to
shore up the number of women taking up seats in
Parliament decided to introduce an affirmative
action in favour of women.

The proposal which was suggested and later
approved by the party's National Executive
Committee directed that men must stay away from
contesting seats held by women.

It has been 48 hours of sustained agitation ever
since the controversial policy was announced and
now the party appears to be shifting its position
on disqualifying men from contesting NPP
parliamentary seats held by women.

The party’s Flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo, who
only 24 hours ago supported the policy, is now
holding series of high-level meetings to calm
nerves.

Joy News sources say there is now a broad
consensus to step down the National Executive
Committee directive.

The party has seen a wave of protests against the
directive. Yesterday the headquarters was besieged
by angry supporters. Today tens of supporters from
two regions again stormed the party headquarters
with others going to the residence of Nana
Akufo-Addo to protest the decision.

Some regional and constituency executives of the
party have also filed a formal petition demanding
the immediate cancellation of the policy.

Speaking to Joy News' Evans Mensah on Top Story,
Mustapha Hamid said the party can appreciate the
reasons for the agitations.

He hinted though that the protests are persistent
because the country appears quite "chauvinistic"
against women.

According to him, in 2008 there was an attempt by
Nana Akufo-Addo to make Hajia Alima Mahama his
running mate and hell broke loose.

He said even the women caucus in Parliament kicked
against the decision, a testimony of a society
that is increasingly becoming acidic towards
women.

He said with the number of NPP Women MPs reducing
from 25 to 16 there ought to be an affirmative
action by the party to add more women to the House
of Parliament.

"We needed to do something radical... the party's
intention is noble but if that will hurt the
sensibilities of party members we have to take a
second look at it," he stated.

He said Nana Akufo-Addo recognises that as
flagbearer he must carry the entire party with him
and so if there are sections that feel scandalised
he has to take steps to placate those affected.

He hinted the party may take steps to correct the
anomaly.

Source - MyjoyOnline

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