The former speaker of parliament, Mike Ocquaye, has called for the constitution to capture the need for Affirmative Action in public life.

According to him, the time is long overdue for Ghana to see more women representation in government, a situation which can be realised with the passing of the Affirmative Action bill.

Delivering a lecture at the Takoradi Technical University on ‘Consolidating Democracy and the Rule of Law in Contemporary Ghana’ he stated that the constitution must be amended to enhance women’s participation in governance.

Areas he pointed out include public office appointments, membership of district assemblies and parliament.

He suggested that one-third of all public office appointments and membership of district assemblies should be allocated to women.

Meanwhile, for the enhancement of women participation in parliament, he said the quota system in the candidates nominated by political parties should be applied.

“Additional seats in Parliament should be reserved for women. At the end of a general election, the reserved seats, for example thirty, will be allocated to political parties in accordance with their votes obtained in the national election.

“A qualification for seats saved for women must be qualified so that they are not taken by political activists who will have little to offer in the search for qualitative governance,” he said.