Fact-check: President Akufo-Addo’s claim that women make up 30 percent of his cabinet is false
Promoting gender equality
Checks by iWatch Africa has revealed that President Akufo-Addo misrepresented the percentage of women in his cabinet when he spoke at the recent International Women’s Conference (Women Deliver) in Vancova, Canada.
President Akufo-Addo during his presentation argued that his cabinet is made up of 30 percent women reiterating his commitment to promoting gender-equality in Ghana.
iWatch Africa checks revealed that out of his nineteen (19) Cabinet Ministers, only five (5) of them are women, which represents 26% of Cabinet, and not 30% as the president claimed.
The president also said he is yet to see “enough dynamism” in gender activism by Ghanaian women, a comment which received some heavy backlash from activists all over the world.
“We are not seeing enough dynamism and activism on the part of those who are seeking. I am talking about dynamism where it matters…electing people to parliament, controlling political parties because they are the instruments by which our societies make decisions.
“We are talking about decisions, not wishes and hopes, we are talking about decisions that are going to make the difference,” the President said.
The comments attracted heavy criticisms from some leading activists in Ghana despite the open challenge that was given the president by Dr Alaa Murabit, the UN’s High Commissioner on Health Employment and Economic Growth at the conference.
A prominent gender activist and former Gender Minister, Oye Lithur said the President’s comments “made her cry” as a Ghanaian woman.
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“President Akufo-Addo made me cry, I cried when I watched the video. To have a human rights lawyer speak and address gender issues in the way he addressed, very regrettable. He couldn’t even get his data right. Even the representation of women in his cabinet, he couldn’t get that right,” she stated.
Below is a list of Akufo-Addo’s Cabinet Ministers (Source: Ministry of Information)
| M/F | Portfolio | Incumbent | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Ministry of Trade and Industry | Alan Kyeremanten | 2017 – |
| Ministry of Finance | Ken Ofori-Atta | 2017 – |
| Ministry of Defence | Dominic Nitiwul | 2017 – |
| Ministry of The Interior | Ambrose Dery | 2017 – |
| Ministry of Energy | Mr John-Peter Amewu | 2018 – |
| F | Office of Attorney General and Ministry of Justice | Gloria Akuffo | 2017 – |
| F | Ministry of Foreign Affairs | Shirley Ayorkor Botchway | 2017 – |
| Ministry of Food and Agriculture | Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto | 2017 – |
| Ministry of Education | Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh | 2017 – |
| Ministry of Health | Kwaku Agyemang-Manu | 2017 – |
| Minister of Monitoring and Evaluation | Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei | 2017 – |
| Ministry of Regional Reorganization and Development | Dan Kweku Botwe | 2017 – |
| Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources | Kweku Asomah Cheremeh | 2018 – |
| Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources | Joseph Kofi Adda | 2017 – |
| Ministry of Railway Development | Joe Ghartey | 2017 – |
| Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations | Ignatius Bafuor Awuah | 2017 – |
| Ministry of Transport | Kweku Ofori Asiamah | 2017 – |
| F | Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture | Barbara Oteng Gyasi | 2019 – |
| F | Ministry of Special Development Initiative | Mavis Hawa Koomson | 2017 – |
| F | Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (Ghana) | Elizabeth Afoley Quaye | 2017 – |
|
By Gideon Sarpong | Follow @gideonsarpong | iWatch Africa