Accra: Professor Victor Kwame Agyeman, Chairman of the Public Services Commission, has cautioned that legislative reforms alone cannot close the gender gap in leadership within Ghana’s public sector. He emphasized the need for deliberate actions to nurture female talent from the basic education level and create enabling environments for women to thrive in leadership and technical roles. Prof. Agyeman shared these insights at the fourth Ghana Employers Association (GEA) Annual Leadership Conference in Accra, attended by over 250 participants from various sectors, aimed at discussing adaptive, inclusive, and purpose-driven leadership models to tackle contemporary socio-economic challenges.
According to Ghana News Agency, Prof. Agyeman highlighted challenges he faced as Director-General of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, where efforts to increase female researchers from 17 per cent saw minimal progress due to the low number of women with doctoral qualifications, a prerequisite for research-grade positions. He noted that, despite policies, the basic qualification requirements remained a barrier, stressing the importance of working towards effective policy implementation.
Prof. Agyeman urged stakeholders to focus on early-stage interventions such as mentorship, education access, and building confidence in young girls. He recounted instances where female candidates felt uncomfortable being interviewed by all-male panels, leading to a new directive at the Public Services Commission to ensure female representation on interview panels.
He outlined the government’s broader employment agenda, including the creation of 1.7 million jobs over four years through initiatives like the 24-hour economy, National Employment Trust, Digital Jobs Initiative, and the National Apprenticeship and Ejumapa programmes. He emphasized the implementation of the Affirmative Action Act, targeting a minimum of 30 per cent female representation in governance and decision-making roles by 2026, increasing to 50 per cent by 2030.
Mrs. Victoria Hajar, Second Vice President of the GEA, reiterated the importance of gender inclusion, thanking development partners such as the Royal Norwegian Embassy and the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO) for supporting the Female Future Programme (FFP). She stressed the urgent need for adaptive, inclusive, and purpose-driven leadership models amidst complex challenges like economic volatility and technological disruption.
Madam Anna Haggblom, Senior Advisor/Assistant Director of International Cooperation Programme at the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise, emphasized that purpose-driven leadership, anchored in values and vision, provides clarity in navigating uncertainty. She referenced reports highlighting the financial outperformance of companies with gender-diverse executive teams and urged graduates to become mentors, challenge systems perpetuating inequality, and allow their purpose to guide them in building resilient institutions.