Fellow at the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), Bashiratu Kamal, has called on President John Mahama to ensure greater inclusivity in his appointments by increasing the representation of women and including persons with disabilities in his government.

According to Madam Kamal, while President Mahama has made commendable efforts in some areas regarding appointments, significant gaps still need to be addressed.

In an interview on JoyNews' Newsfile on Saturday, January 25, she noted that despite some progress in balancing appointments between men and women, the overall representation remains unimpressive.

• Read also: Affirmative Action Bill Coalition calls for increased female representation in ministerial appointments

She pointed out that with the passage of the Affirmative Action Bill, the measurement of inclusivity should not be done arbitrarily but across different levels of governance, including district and ministerial appointments.

“As we speak, out of 42 ministerial appointments, only seven are women, which amounts to a woefully inadequate 16.7%. However, in other areas, the President has done well in ensuring balance,” she noted.

She also referenced a press statement from advocacy groups representing persons with disabilities, expressing their disappointment over the lack of representation in government so far.

“As much as possible, it is important that whilst we strive to build an inclusive government, we consider all people and minority groups in our society,” she stressed.

Madam Kamal cautioned that there may be further disappointment in the coming days as more appointments are made, urging the President to take the necessary steps to address the concerns of underrepresented groups.

She also acknowledged the concerns of party members who may not be entirely satisfied with certain appointments but reiterated that the President’s decisions are not made in isolation.

“For a country where we have always spoken about the ‘winner takes all’ system and how it deprives us of utilising the expertise of other Ghanaians, the President has done well. Some members of the party rank and file may not be too happy with the caliber of some appointees, but I believe the President knows what he is doing. These decisions are not made by him alone,” she stated.