Business News of Friday, 14 January 2022
Source: www.ghanaweb.live
2022-01-145 women leading top government agencies
Women in leadership is key for development
Women’s appointment in leadership position in government low
Only 38 of the 260 MMDCEs are female
Parliament has only 32 women out of the 275 MPs
Generally, there are only a few women in both political and civil leadership in Ghana. Despite some gains made over the years, women's participation in key leadership remains low.
Ghana’s parliament
Read full articlefor instance has only 32 women out of the 275 members of parliament (MPs). Also, out of the 46 ministers of state, only 8 are women (six central government ministers and 2 regional ministers).
At the local government level, only 38 women have been appointed out of 260 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies Chief Executives (MMDCEs) by the Akufo-Addo administration.
The disparity is even becoming even worse when it comes to the percentage of women leading state-owned enterprises though there are still some women who are breaking these barriers.
GhanaWeb in this article sheds light on five Ghanaian women who are immaculately leading state agencies, making a case for an increase in the appointment of women to leadership positions and setting great examples for women across the country.
Benonita Bismarck
Benonita Bismarck is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA). She is in charge of a key component of the country’s maritime sector which rakes in substantial revenue.
At the GSA, Bismarck is leading the charge to pursue its primary objective of protecting and promoting the interests of shippers in Ghana concerning port, ship and inland transport problems to ensure safe, reliable and cost-effective cargo handling.
She was appointed in 2017 during the first term of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Before her appointment, she was the CEO of the Global Marine Services Limited. She was once the Commercial Manager at Mediterranean Shipping Company. She was also formerly the Head of Operations at the Ghana Red Cross Society.
Ms. Bismarck is a Strategic Planner and Management Consultant.
In 2019, she was awarded the 2018 Woman CEO of the Year Award at the 9th edition of the Ghana Entrepreneur & Corporate Executive Awards (GECEA).
Ms. Bismarck was also adjudged the 2020 Woman of Excellence (Public Sector) Award at the 3rd Ghana Business Awards (GBA). She was also Award the 2021 Pubic Sector CEO of the Year at the 4th edition of the Ghana Business Awards (GBA).
Kosi Antwiwaa Yankey-Ayeh
Kosi Antwiwaa Yankey-Ayeh is the first female Chief Executive Officer to head the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), formerly known as the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI).
At the Agency, Yankey-Ayeh leads the vision and mission of providing support to small and medium enterprises at very competitive rates to grow their business. The GEA also provides and assists new business owners with business advice and solutions.
Yankey-Ayeh worked with Deutsche Bank, Citigroup, Merrill Lynch and UBS in various capacities including Consultant, Entrepreneur and Banker before her appointment.
Mrs. Yankey-Ayeh graduated from Harvard University, USA, with a Masters in Public Administration and Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government where she was a Mason Fellow. She also holds a certificate in Regional Entrepreneurship and Acceleration Program from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Yankey-Ayeh was adjudged the Best Female CEO of the Year at the 2021 Made-In- Ghana Awards (MIGA) for her role at the GEA.
Tucci Goka Ivowi
Tucci Ivowi is the Chief Executive Officer and a founding member of the Ghana Commodities Exchange (GCX).
The Exchange is a regulated national and regional market linking buyers and sellers of agricultural and non-agricultural products to trade under rules and discovers prices while assuring the market quantity and quality of the products and timely settlement.
It also links Ghanaian smallholder farmers to agricultural and financial markets in Ghana and across the West Africa Region to ensure Ghana farmers secure competitive prices for their commodities, as well as supply good quality commodities that meet the nutritional needs of the Ghanaian people.
Tucci was the first female and first Ghanaian Executive Director for Nestle Central & West Africa Region.
She has also worked in various roles including Business Unit Director, Marketing Communications Director and Managing Director in one of the global leading Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies.
Tucci is a Chartered Marketer of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM UK) and her professional qualifications include Executive Education in Leadership from London Business School.
Jemima Oware
Madame Jemima Oware is the Registrar General at the Registrar-General's Department. She was appointed to the position in 2017 by the Akufo-Addo administration.
At the department, Madama Oware leads the charge in ensuring the effective administration and registration of businesses, industrial property, marriages, administration of estates and public trust.
The Department also provides friendly services and accurate data for national and economic development.
Madame Oware had been the acting R-G since 2015. She also previously worked as the Prosecution Division of the Ministry of Justice and Attorney-Generals’ Department (MOJAD) as an Assistant State Attorney.
She holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the Ghana Law School
Abena Amoah
Abena Amoah is the Deputy Managing Director of the Ghana Stock Exchange. She was appointed to this position in July 2020 to assist in providing an efficient securities market for national economic development through access to capital and investment.
Ms. Amoah was the CEO of a financial advisory service firm she founded, Baobab Advisors.
She had also worked as a board member of the Wapic Insurance Limited (Ghana), Access Bank Limited (Ghana) and The African Women's Development Fund.
In 2016, she was listed as one of the Wapic Insurance Limited (Ghana), Access Bank Limited (Ghana) and The African Women's Development Fund by WomanRising. Also, in 2006 she received a Newmont Gold Ghana Highest Award for Excellence at the National Youth Excellence Awards.
Ms Amoah holds a Bachelor in Business Administration from the University of Ghana.
