The Majority Leader, , has urged the opposition (NPP) to nominate a female running mate to demonstrate its commitment to gender empowerment.
Ayariga, who is also the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, noted that the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) had already set the pace by appointing Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as its running mate, who subsequently became Ghana's first female Vice President-a historic feat in the country's political history. "We, the NDC, can only go forward…" he said to cheers on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, in response to comments by the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who claimed that President Mahama was not committed to gender equity.
Ayariga dismissed the Minority Leader's allegations that few women were appointed to ministerial positions under the Mahama-led administration.
He called on the NPP to allow female candidates to go unopposed in constituencies considered "safe seats" in its strongholds, particularly in the Ashanti Region, while the NDC could do the same in the Volta Region.
