The Progressive Organisation for Women’s Advancement (POWA) has defended Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang against what it describes as unfair criticism over issues affecting women and girls.
According to the group, the Vice President should not be held personally responsible for every challenge affecting women simply because she is Ghana’s first female Vice President.
In a statement signed by its Founder and President, Victoria Lakshmi Hamah, on Facebook, on October 21, 2026, it said that Opoku-Agyemang’s leadership should be assessed based on her broader responsibilities as a national leader.
“Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang is the Vice President of Ghana, not merely the Vice President for women and girls,” the statement said.
POWA said although protecting the rights of women and girls should remain a national priority, Jane Naana’s gender should not limit her leadership to issues concerning women.
The organisation said her historic achievement should open more opportunities for women to lead across all sectors rather than confine them to issues traditionally associated with their gender.
It added that women in high political office should not face additional expectations that would not ordinarily be imposed on their male counterparts.
POWA also acknowledged that women leaders have an important role to play in promoting gender equality and protecting vulnerable groups. However, it said this responsibility must be shared among relevant institutions and other stakeholders.
The organisation cited the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), and the courts as institutions mandated to address issues affecting women, children and vulnerable persons.
“These institutions must be empowered, adequately resourced and held accountable for the effective discharge of their responsibilities,” Hamah continued.
The organization also argued that the Vice President can support policy reforms, coordinate efforts and advocate for stronger protection for women and girls, but should not be expected to replace institutions responsible for investigating complaints, protecting victims and administering justice.
It therefore urged the public and political actors to distinguish between expecting national leaders to support women’s rights and holding one individual responsible for every incident involving women and girls.
POWA stressed that Jane Naana, like every other public official, must remain open to legitimate scrutiny. However, it said criticism should be based on evidence and should reflect the responsibilities of the office she occupies.
The organisation further called on political parties to put the protection and advancement of women above partisan interests.
“POWA reiterates that the welfare of women and girls is a shared national responsibility involving government, Parliament, law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, civil society, traditional authorities, families and communities,” it added.
POWA urged the public to promote a political culture in which women leaders are assessed fairly and institutions are held accountable for their responsibilities.
“We call on all political parties to place the protection and advancement of women above partisan consideration and to promote a political culture in which women leaders are assessed fairly, institutions are held accountable, and public debate contributes meaningfully to national development,” the statement concluded.
The statement follows criticism of the Vice President over what critics describe as her silence on issues affecting women in Ghana, particularly the viral sexual assault allegations involving 19 female students and the former headmaster of Obuasi Senior High School.
Read the full statement below:
Source: Ghanaweb
