Minority leader, Haruna Iddirisu has singled out for commendation the first Ghanaian woman to head a multinational oil firm, Kadijah Amoah as the world celebrates International Women’s Day. 

Madam Amoah was appointed the Country Director of Aker Energy Ghana Ltd in February and became the first Ghanaian woman to hold that position in an industry dominated by men. 

“I hail the appointment of first Ghanaian chief executive of Aker Energy notwithstanding the critical issues we raised as Minority, but she needs to go beyond personal career successes to institutional and organizational successes of Aker Energy in Ghana,” he said in his message to mark International Women’s Day. 

International Women's Day marked on the 8^th of March every year is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.  

Madam Kadijah Amoah also holds a position with the Executive Management Team of Aker Energy AS in Norway in addition to heading the country office of Aker Energy in Ghana.

She works closely with affiliated companies AGM Petroleum Ghana Limited (“AGM”) and Aker Ghana Investment Company (“AGIC”) in Ghana, two companies with the same majority owner as Aker Energy, and hold directorships in both companies.   

Mrs Amoah, a Ghanaian citizen, is a lawyer by training and holds degrees in law and political science, a master’s degree in international business, and awaits the award of a postgraduate diploma in strategy and innovation.

Prior to joining Aker Energy, Mrs Amoah was a Senior Foreign Lawyer at Clifford Chance Germany, one of the largest law firms in the world. 

Mr Iddirisu says the new female boss of Aker Energy “has an enormous task ahead of her, a herculean task to make Aker competitive in Ghana.

"Not too many women of her standing from our part of the world have achieved that and therefore she certainly will be a role model for many”.

The NDC minority had raised several concerns with the Aker Energy deal, the minority leader says they will “watch and monitor her closely with respect to our petroleum institutions, its laws, regulations and corporate social responsibility to the Ghanaian society”.