Abantu, WMC Congratulate Mrs Jean Mensa On Her Nomination As Ghana's Electoral Commissioner

By G.D. Zaney

ABANTU for Development and the Women's Manifesto Coalition (WMC) have jointly offered their sincerest congratulations to Mrs Jean Mensa on her nomination as Ghana's Electoral Commissioner.

According to a statement issued and signed by ABANTU for Development & the Women's Manifesto Coalition in Accra, WMC and its host, ABANTU for Development, were more delighted to note that by this appointment, Mrs Jean Mensa would become the second woman to ascend to the high position of superintending over Ghana's electoral institution.

The statement said Mrs Mensa had done honour to herself and to all women, having been recognised and valued as capable and competent in providing leadership at the highest level of Ghana's electoral decision-making space.

The statement noted that Mrs Mensa had been a strong advocate on the issues and demands of the Women's Manifesto for Ghana and that over the years she had demonstrated through her leadership of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) that national democratic governance was directly linked with the quest for women's rights and gender equality.

She, the statement said, had, therefore, actively forged effective collaborative relationships with the WMC through the IEA's platforms on political parties and economic development.

The statement said through her nomination, she had become an important symbol of the continued relevance of women's leadership as was mandated by the United Nations (UN), African Union (AU), Economic Commission of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Ghanaian nation.

The Women's Manifesto for Ghana, the statement said, recognized the difficulties associated with such a combative position trying to satisfy strong diverse political viewpoints.

That notwithstanding, the statement said, ABANTU and WMC were confident that Mrs Mensa's solid track record of being firm and fair, would continue to be the basis for delivering the best in every difficult situation in the country's electoral system.

The statement said it was the hope of WMC and ABANTU that the nomination of Mrs Mensah as the Electoral Commissioner would be backed by her many years of considerable diverse competencies accumulated in different public engagements.

The statement expressed the hope that in addressing some of the most crucial electoral issues of the time, Mrs Mensa would be guided by the country's Constitution, laws and regulations that gave credence to fairness, greater equality, equity and social justice.

The statement said ABANTU and the WMC jointly rejoiced with Mrs Mensa on the occasion of her nomination and looked forward to her confirmation that would enable her propel the Electoral Commission to greater heights in the quest for women's rights and democratic governance in Ghana.

ABANTU for Development is a pan-African international nongovernmental organization (NGO) that trains women for leadership in sustainable development.

Established in October 1991, it is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations, with a vision of a world in which empowered women and men work together to address gender inequalities and promote transformational leadership and development for a just society.

On the other hand, WMC is a broad coalition of different Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), which advocates for broader participation of women in society and monitors government efforts to address women's needs.

The membership of the Coalition, which is hosted by ABANTU for Development, includes about 35 organisations, many of which are themselves coalitions and networks, as well as over 700 individual women and men.

Read Full Story