By Gifty Amofa/Florence Oppong, GNA
Accra, Feb. 13, GNA - Women of Hope, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) has called on the Minority in Parliamentto render an unqualified apology to Madam Lydia Seyram Alhassan, Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayawaso-West-Wuogon for the name calling at her swearing in.
It was bad for the woman to be associated with “Bloody Mary,” that is, Mary Tudor, the first queen regent of England and Ireland, who burnt 300 people as she sought to return England to the Catholic Church, thereby earning the name.
Madam Winnifred Asiedu, President of the Association who addressed the media in Accra on Wednesday said, Madam Alhassan was not the cause of the violence at the elections which took place barely two weeks ago.
She was also voted for by the majority of the electorate, Madam Winnifred added.
She said it was worrying that the Minority put-up this behaviour at the time when women were being encouraged to take up political positions and expressed disappointment especially, at the women MPs who added their voices to it.
Madam Winnifred said the shouting, booing, the walking-out and above all the name calling by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) was intimidating not only to the women in active politics but also the up-coming ones.
The President said such acts should not be condoned in the Ghanaian society and thus, they should go back to apologise to the woman.
She noted that Madam Lydia did not call for the death of her husband and that death was inevitable and it could happen to anybody at any time therefore, the pain she is going through should not be played with.
“We do not take kindly to how she was described, her children were at her swearing-in and the humiliation of their mother could have adverse effects on them, especially the females, thus, the need to help do away with such stigma on widows,” she explained.
As concerned women, we feel the NDC MPs have humiliated women, and do not see them as competent and do not support the welfare of women in the Country, the President stated.
Widowhood is not a curse and those who had lose their spouses, especially, women were not outcast and should be allowed to live in peace.
Madam Marian Keziah Appia-Korang, the Executive Secretary appealed to other civil society organisations, women, among other stakeholders to condemn the dishonourable behaviour. Journalists, she said, should use their various platforms to fight against women’s vulnerability being “toyed” with.
Clad in black and red, and in sober moods, the women took turns in addressing the media in English and different Ghanaian languages such as Hausa, Grushie, Dagomba, Ga and Ewe.
The MP, a News Patriotic Party candidate was sworn-in after winning the elections by 68.80 percent.
She was the second wife of the Late MP, Mr Emmanuel Kyeremateng Agyarko and contested Mr Kwasi Delali Brempong of NDC and Mr William Kofi Dowokpor of the Progressive People’s Party.
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