It was a colourful event as Industrial and Commercial Workers Union Ghana in collaboration with the New Times Corporation (NTC) celebrates International Women’s Day (IWD) at the forecourt of its premises.
As part of the celebration, Times ladies dressed in colourful kente designs and African print to commemorate the day.
The maiden event under the theme, “Equity Today and Sustainability Tomorrow” was to empower women to excel and break the bias.
Addressing the ladies, the Managing Director of the New Times Corporation, Mr, Martin Adu Owusu, said women should be given the needed exposure in order to break the bias and gender disparity.
Mr Adu stated that the corporation was committed to helping the women in good career path and commended the ladies in the corporation for their immense contribution, again urged them to push to the highest level through hardwork.
The chairman of the occasion, Mrs Georgina N. M. Quaittoo, said women have come a long way and there was the need for them to break the bias, expatiating that “in the past women were neglected to the background so they could not harness these potentials. Their roles were limited to the kitchen to bear domestic burden.”
Mrs Quaitoo who is the Deputy Editor of The Spectator urged women to continue to work hard and offer their quota any place they found themselves.
In an address the Accra Chairperson of the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union, Mrs Anita- Nyarko- Yirenkyi also appealed to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to expedite action to ensure the passing of the Affirmative Action Bill into law to ensure women were given what they deserved in the country.
She further called on women groups and civil society organisations to continue their advocacy to ensure that there was equity and gender balance at all levels the society.
Mrs Regina A. Sarpong, Women’s Representative of New times Corporation’s Union urged women to break the bias and continue to strive hard to attain top positions in both state-owned and private organisations.
“I will urge all of you especially those who do not want to accept positions for fear of name calling, discrimination, insecurity and unfair treatment to be courageous in all endeavours”.
Ms Dinah Bosuh, Chairperson of Professional and Managerial Staff Union (PMSU) of NTC stated that in order to have a happy and peaceful home, men must also be empowered, and urged the staff to love themselves and work hard to create gender parity.
Accra Regional Council Chairperson of ICU-Ghana of the Industrial Commercial and Workers Union, (ICU) Mrs Belinda Cochrane stated that women must dedicate themselves to fight against discrimination because they played a pivotal role in the community.
By Linda Abrefi Wadie