Business leaders, policymakers, and development advocates gathered in Accra to mark International Women’s Day, issuing a joint call for political will and male allyship to close the persistent gender gap in Ghana’s economic leadership.
The event, hosted by the UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce (UKGCC) in partnership with the British High Commission under the theme “Rights. Justice. Action for All Women and Girls,” centred discussions on the low representation of women in corporate decision-making and what concrete steps institutions must take to address it.
Delivering the keynote address, lawyer and human rights activist Mrs. Sheila Minkah-Premo said the problem in Ghana is not a lack of legal tools, pointing to the Labour Act and the National Gender Policy as existing instruments that should be driving change. “The challenge is not the absence of policy. It is the persistent gap between policy aspiration and institutional delivery. What is needed is political will, institutional accountability, and adequate funding,” she said.
Mrs. Minkah-Premo also urged men to take the issue seriously, calling on them to act “with urgency, accountability, and with the conviction that Ghana’s economic future depends on the full and equitable participation of its people.”
British High Commissioner to Ghana Dr. Christian Rogg put hard numbers to the challenge, noting that women hold roughly 25% of board positions and just 14% of chief executive roles on the Ghana Stock Exchange. He argued that changing those figures requires those who already hold power to see inclusion as an opportunity rather than a threat. “Male allies who don’t see that change as a threat but rather as an opportunity to be part of progress is necessary,” he said, while reaffirming the United Kingdom government’s commitment to advancing women’s empowerment through its foreign policy in Ghana.
UKGCC Executive Director Adjoba Kyiamah said the Chamber has made deliberate strides in empowering women and building resilience among younger people and reaffirmed its commitment to driving inclusion across Ghana’s business ecosystem.
The event was supported by Guinness Ghana Breweries PLC, a Sterling Member of the UKGCC. The Chamber, established in 2016 with the support of the United Kingdom’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT), is the 2023 British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) International Chamber of the Year.
