Ghana Academy holds first Women's Awards as vice president calls for expanding opportunity

Pinned summary · as of 15:52

The Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences held its inaugural Women's Awards ceremony on Tuesday in Accra, honouring female contributors across sectors. Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang attended and argued that systemic barriers must be dismantled to match the opportunities available to women with the contributions Ghana expects of them.

What we know

• The Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences held its inaugural Women's Awards ceremony in Accra, with the event centred on recognising women's leadership and achievements across society.
• Vice President Opoku-Agyemang told attendees that Ghanaian women have long farmed, fished, traded, healed, adjudicated and led communities, yet many of these roles went unrecognised in formal institutions and records.
• According to the Vice President, unequal access to education and formal pathways historically blocked generations of women from roles they had the capacity to fill.
• Vice President Opoku-Agyemang said the government is implementing the Affirmative Action Act, a revised gender policy and a Women's Development Bank to widen women's access to education, professional work and finance.
• The Vice President stressed that progress at the national level must be matched by real opportunities for women in farms, markets and grassroots communities, where much of Ghana's daily work and problem-solving happens.
• She argued that when girls are denied early opportunity, Ghana loses potential scientists, scholars, professionals and leaders.

What's disputed / unconfirmed

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  Emerita Professor Isabella Akyinbah, the academy's president, said the awards recognise both widely celebrated women and those working away from the spotlight, describing women's quiet contributions as the hidden engine of lasting community and institutional change.

Why it matters for Ghana

Women are essential to Ghana's economy and social fabric. They work in markets and farms, run small businesses, staff health clinics and schools, and lead at every level of community life. Removing barriers to their education, access to finance and professional advancement means more skilled workers, stronger local economies and more experienced leaders in government and private enterprise. The Women's Development Bank and other initiatives directly affect women traders and entrepreneurs seeking start-up or expansion capital in Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi and across Ghana's regions.