The Upper East Regional NDC women wing led by Fawzia Yakubu has said, the pronouncement made by the Upper East Regional Minister Stephen Yakubu, is a clear manifestation of his ignorance of that viable policy proposal just like Dr. Bawumia himself.
“Traditionally, which farming community(s) farms or go to the farm at night?
Minister, Stephen Yakubu, questioned the suitability of the policy for farming communities and suggested that it could threaten conjugal stability in those areas. Mr. Yakubu made these remarks during a festival in Sakote, as seen in a video by ApexnewsGh
“The vice president is saying that he understands the region. He says that this 24-hour economy, my brothers, when we work in the farms and we are tired in the night we have to sleep with our wives.
“We have to be with our wives. In the night you want us to go and be farming and then people will come and take our wives away?” the minister questioned amidst shouts of no from his audience.
However, reacting to Stephen Yakubu’s pronouncement, NDC Upper East Women Wing, says minister’s pronouncement seeks to create an impression as though it’s only men or husbands that farm. However, its trite knowledge that both men and women do farm.
“So we then ask, would he be taken away if his wife also decides to work at night? Granted, she farms at night?
Read the full statement:
PRESS RELEASE
“WE SHALL LOSE OUR WIVES TO 24 HOUR ECONOMY” – DR. BAWUMIA DIRECTS UPPER EAST REGIONAL MINISTER TO RELEGATE WOMEN ROLE TO SEX TOOLS IN THE 24HR ECONOMY POLICY PROPOSAL.
The Upper East Regional NDC women wing have sighted a viral video, and in it is the holidaying UER minister, Yakubu (Hon), making commentary on the proposed 24-hour economy by the tried and tested NDC flagbearer and president in waiting – H.E. John Dramani Mahama, he sought to relegate women role in that visionary proposal as “sex tools”.
He is heard quoting the vice president as saying, “The vice president says he understands the region, he says this 24hr economeez aee my brothers when we work in our farms and we are tired in the night we have to sleep with our wives oooo! We have to be with our wives, ooo..in the night u want us to go farming and people would come and take our wives away?..”
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Was it made out of genuine hypocrisy or ignorance? It’s not surprising because it’s the same minister who commissioned an empty building under 1D1F in Bolga municipality at Yorogo in the same area around the new abattoir and told us they were now going to shop for the equipment but already they’ve trained staff.
The question then is, which equipment did they use to train them? granted, they even did.
We hereby want to set the record straight; the 24-hour economy policy is not gender specific or gender discriminatory, whereby it’s only men that would be working at night. It’s a policy with opportunities for all and aimed at economic growth and job opportunities for all.
Both Dr. Bawumia and himself have lived, schooled, and worked in the UK, then led by a Monarch Queen where women are given equal opportunities in the economy irrespective of time.
The minister seeks to create an impression as though it’s only men or husbands that farm. However, its trite knowledge that both men and women do farm. So we then ask, would he be taken away if his wife also decides to work at night? Granted, she farms at night?
Women in this part of our world especially at countryside since time in memorial do sell basic needs (kerosene, spices, beverages, and even basic first aid medications) all from their homes irrespective of time and season hence, they are always prepared for greater economic opportunities if granted and need to be encouraged not discouraged.
As of 2022, they were 3.9 million women workers in the UK night economy as they call it, representing 44% compared to 56%, representing 4.9 million workers being male (Source: Office for National Statistics – Labour Force Survey, April to June, 2022). The same source confirms that it’s the highest in 10 years (2012 -2022)
Our expectations were that, due to the everchanging dynamics at the workplace, which women have to cope with by combining, running the homes, and working at the same time, Dr. Bawumia through the regional minister should have rather used the opportunity to advocate for women and mother friendly environments to be incorporated in to the policy to enable them give out their best towards economic growth but not to relegate them as “sex tools”.
The 24-hour economy policy gives women the opportunities to run home during the day and work at night to augment home incomes. They need to be told that not all night shifts require on-site physical presence but can equally work from home depending on their schedules.
As a former ambassador to the kingdom of Morocco, he is very much aware of how beneficial the 24-hour economy is with reference to the contributions the Marrakech Night Market and Casablanca city brings to the Kingdom economy. Also, he knows well-paid jobs apart from the agricultural sector are jobs from 9 pm to 6 am in the Kingdom of Morocco. Both lived, schooled and worked in the UK and benefited from the 24-hour economy, as narrated by Dr. Bawumia, how he drove taxi while schooling at same time.
In conclusion, we the women wing in Upper East – NDC once again wish to register our strong displeasure at Dr. Bawumia’s directive through the minister comment seeing women as just wives or “sex tools” since from creation women have been partakers and contributors to our economy at all various sectors and not just been wives or “sex tools”
Signed
Yakubu Fawziatu Abagnamah
U/ER Women Organizer
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