Upper West Queen Mothers Appeal for Unanimous Female DCE Confirmation

Accra: The Upper West Regional Female Chiefs Association, known as the Queen Mothers, has issued a call to Assembly Members in the Nadowli-Kaleo District to unanimously vote to confirm Ms. Mary Haruna as the District Chief Executive (DCE) nominee. They urge for a full endorsement as a mark of respect to President John Dramani Mahama's decision to nominate her for this significant role.According to Ghana News Agency, Pognaa Rosemary Bangzie Mumwilma, the Queen Mother of the Duong community and Treasurer of the Female Chiefs Association, conveyed this appeal on behalf of the association. She articulated that such support would reflect the efforts and backing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) party elders and leaders at various levels in securing Ms. Haruna's nomination.Pognaa Mumwilma emphasized that women, traditional leaders, and the broader community in the region are looking to the Assembly Members in Nadowli-Kaleo District to honor them by confirming the sole female DCE nominee. This confirmati on is seen as crucial support alongside ten male DCE nominees. 'We are not just asking for some votes. We are asking for a hundred per cent (100%). That will motivate our listening President to even give us more women in the future,' she noted.She urged the Assembly Members to see the confirmation not as a woman replacing another woman, but as a blessing for the district that merits wholehearted support. She stated, 'This position is not permanent. Let us give her the chance. When her time is up, someone else will come.'The Queen Mother also stressed the importance of maintaining peace and not allowing political differences to undermine the region's unity. The Queen Mothers Association expressed gratitude to President Mahama for considering their plea and the concerns of women in the Upper West Region by nominating a female DCE, although they had hoped for more female nominations.Historically, Queen Mothers and gender advocates in the region raised concerns when 33 shortlisted DCE aspirants submitted to the President excluded females, despite eight females applying and passing the vetting process. Ms. Haruna's nomination has been welcomed as a step toward gender balance in political appointments, particularly at the local governance level.Community members and groups, including those within the NDC party, have voiced their support for Ms. Haruna's confirmation to elevate the status of women in the region. The NDC Women's Wing in Naro also addressed the media, highlighting the necessity of her overwhelming confirmation.At the time of her nomination, Ms. Haruna served as the NDC Women's Organiser for the Nadowli-Kaleo Constituency and was a teacher at the St. Francis Xavier Minor Seminary in Wa.