The issue of Affirmative Action (AA) was put to the test when a group of women politicians and gender advocacy groups failed to reach a consensus on the need for all political parties contesting the 2008 elections to appoint women as their running mates.

The women rather deferred the issue to a later date for discussion as some argued that the 'position was "too big" while others said the clause when put in a resolution would limit women to the position of a vice-president anytime there was a general election in the country.

The issue, which generated a hot debate among the women and some male politicians present, came about as they were drawing resolutions at the end of a three-day workshop organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (lEA) for women in politics at Atimpoku in the Eastern Region.

The most vociferous against the clause was Ms Frances Asiam a former Women's Organiser of both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP).

Source: Daily Graphic

She expressed the view that such a clause would be a confirmation of women playing second fiddle to men in all things.

Ms Asiam, who is presently the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Centre for Social Development (CSD), cautioned the women present against shooting themselves in the foot were they to agree to such a resolution.

Ms Asiam kept whispering to the Women's Organiser of the DEP, Ms Franklina Asamoah, who sat next to her, that she was going to stand as a presidential candidate in the next election, and further argued out her case that the decision to put that clause in the resolution would give political parties the chance to relegate to the background the interests of women who might desire to stand as presidential candidates.

Most of the women present who did not make their views on the issue known at the workshop murmured among themselves. The matter thus became a tug-of-war between the NDC's General Secretary, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, and Ms Asiam.

Mr Nketia who was for the clause, could not get any support from the women politicians for it to be put in the resolution. He, however, said if women should insist on their right no political party could begrudge them of that.

"If you make yourself dispensable we will dispense with you", he said, adding that political Parties would take them seriously if they came out with concrete measures.

However, his Colleague General Secretary of the Convention People's Party (CPP), Professor Nii Noi Dowuona, did not buy into his views.

He said when the clause was inserted into the resolution and the representatives endorsed it women politicians would find it difficult selling it to their party members since they had not discussed it at the party level.

The First Vice Chairman of the CPP, Ms Araba Bentsi Enchil, who did not come out with her position on the issue, however, did not agree with the statement of her general secretary, saying that the issue did not have to be discussed at the party level before she could endorse it.

Some of the women politicians present included women organisers of the NDC, DFP, EGLE, PNC, NRP, DPP, GCPP and the NPP.