The Vice President of Ghana, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, has called for stronger inclusion of women and young people in political leadership across West Africa, stressing that their participation is critical to the region’s future development.
She made the call at the closing of the ECOWAS Regional Consultation on Political Participation and Leadership of Women and Young People in West Africa, held in Accra.
Harnessing the Full Potential of the Region
The consultation brought together regional stakeholders to review political participation and leadership among women and youth within the framework of commitments adopted by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang acknowledged progress under frameworks such as the ECOWAS Gender Policy and ECOWAS Youth Policy but noted that women and young people remain underrepresented in leadership and decision-making across many member states.
“The future of West Africa depends on our ability to harness the talents and leadership of all our people,” she stated.
Ghana’s Affirmative Action Efforts
Highlighting Ghana’s domestic reforms, the Vice President referenced the passage of the Affirmative Action Act aimed at increasing women’s representation in public life.
Since its enactment, she noted, more women have been appointed to key roles in ministerial, parliamentary, judicial and local government positions.
She also pointed to investments in youth empowerment through the Ministry of Youth and Development and the National Youth Authority, which have expanded youth engagement in policy dialogue, civic education and local governance.
Despite these gains, she called for accelerated action and reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to collaborating with ECOWAS partners to share best practices and strengthen regional approaches.
ECOWAS Launches “Legacy Project”
Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission, Damtien Tchintchibidja, said the key challenge was no longer the absence of policy vision but translating commitments into practical and institutionalised action.
She announced the commencement of the “Legacy Project,” under which the Commission will provide advisory support, peer-learning platforms, monitoring systems and partnership mobilisation to assist member states.
The Legacy Project aims to consolidate democratic governance gains and promote equal political opportunities for women and men, including the development of a model law to guide reforms to strengthen women and youth participation by 2035.
Madam Tchintchibidja warned that continued exclusion of women and youth from governance structures would undermine progress in the sub-region. She noted that the consultation coincided with ECOWAS’s 50th anniversary, describing it as both commemorative and transformative.
Call for Strong National Action
Chairperson of ECOWAS Ministers Responsible for Gender, Isata Mahoi, stressed that the success of the Legacy Project would depend on strong national action plans to dismantle structural barriers.
Ghana’s Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, urged partners and member states to intensify efforts to make inclusion a practical reality within political institutions.
“Together, we can build a West Africa where leadership is inclusive, governance is representative, and opportunity is accessible to all,” she said.
