The Affirmative Action Coalition in Ghana's Upper West Region has rejected the recently released shortlist of candidates for Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), citing the glaring absence of women on the list.

Despite President John Dramani Mahama's promise to ensure at least 30% women representation in his government, the Upper West Region's shortlist of 33 candidates features no woman.

This has sparked widespread outrage, with the Affirmative Action Coalition demanding that President Mahama rejects the list and ensure that competent women are appointed to key positions.

Addressing the media on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, the coalition emphasized that the zero representation of women on the MMDCE shortlist undermines the President's commitment to gender inclusion and the affirmative action law recently passed by Parliament. "This is clearly not right and unacceptable.