Queen Mothers are worthy ambassadors for socio-economic transformation – Bono Minister

Sunyani,– Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Bono Regional Minister says Paramount Queen Mothers are powerful tools for women’s empowerment to bring about social and economic transformation in their communities and the country at large.

She said Queen Mothers had become worthy ambassadors and advocates for women empowerment and campaigners for the abolishment of cultural practices, which were inimical to the society’s progress.

Madam Owusu-Banahene was speaking at the opening of the first annual conference and workshop organised by the Bono Paramount Queen Mothers’ Association in collaboration with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) for members and their colleagues from the Bono East Regions in Sunyani.

The two-day programme, also participated by six representatives from the National Queen Mothers Platform was aimed at equipping the participants with mediation skills to better position better to effectively adjudicate disputes amicably through the process of mediation in their traditional areas to promote peace and progress.

The KAS is a political foundation, closely associated with the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) with major objectives, which include, “promoting the participation in local politics, particularly in the framework of the decentralisation process”, “promoting the effective integration of traditional structures into the modern state administration for meaningful development at local (district) level” and “creating a legal environment where citizens can be sure of their rights and promoting gender equality as a cross-cutting task”.

Madam Owusu-Banahene stated the government had recognised the key role Queen Mothers played in the nation’s democratic governance and would therefore continue to engage them on several fronts for them to take their rightful place (s) in the country.

She observed the collaboration between the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and Paramount Queen Mothers to build their capacities to enable them to play key roles in, particularly advocacy for women empowerment would boost women participation in Ghana’s democratic governance.

Madam Owusu-Banahene urged the Paramount Queen Mothers to use their influence to garner support for women already in democratic and institutional governance and also encourage more to take the bold step of participation to spearhead the interest of women, children, and the vulnerable in the society.

Nana Yaa Ansua, the Paramount Queen Mother of Drobo Traditional Area, Jama South Municipality, and President of the Bono Queen Mothers Association indicated earlier in a welcoming address that by their positions they were not only mothers but also role models to females in their communities.

Hence, she stressed the onus lied on them to be mediators and peacemakers coupled with other roles as advocates and women empowerment campaigners to facilitate the advancement of their communities.

The programme was also addressed by Osagyefo Oseadeyo Agyeman Badu II, the Paramount Chief of Dormaa Traditional Area and President of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs, Mr. Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, and Dr Arne Wulff, the Resident Representative of the KAS, Ghana Office.

Source: Ghana News Agency