Former Member of Parliament for Bortianor-Ngleshie-Amanfro, Sylvester Tetteh, has taken a swipe at President John Dramani Mahama over what he described as “empty promises” on women’s empowerment.
His comments follow President Mahama’s recent statement that Ghana will, in the near future, have its first female president.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, Tetteh said it was ironic for the president to make such a prediction when, during his current tenure, he failed to meet his own target of appointing more women to key positions in government.
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“You go to China to make yourself a hero of women’s empowerment, yet when you had the power to make change, you could not. What you had control over, you failed to deliver, but now you are promising what you do not have control over,” he said.
President Mahama, addressing the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Beijing, expressed confidence that Ghana would soon elect its first female leader.
He cited the election of Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as Vice President in 2024 and the increasing representation of women in the judiciary and security services as signs of progress.
However, Tetteh argued that President Mahama’s record on women’s inclusion does not support his optimism.
He recalled that President Mahama once promised to allocate 30 percent of cabinet positions to women but managed only about 23 percent, lower than the 26 percent recorded under former President Akufo-Addo.
“President Mahama’s government had only about 23 percent women appointees. Even under former President Akufo-Addo, the figure was about 26 percent. So, if you could not meet your own target, how do you now claim to foresee a female president?” Tetteh asked.
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