African women have always led, even when unseen – Opoku-Agyemang

Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has called for a deliberate reckoning with the gap between African women’s lived contributions and their formal recognition.

She noted that women across the continent had long demonstrated their capacity to lead despite being relegated to the margins.

“African women have long demonstrated their ability to lead, even when their contributions receive little recognition,” the Vice President stated in her remarks at the opening of the Women’s Leadership Breakfast in Accra.

The Women’s Leadership Breakfast was hosted by Olori Ivie Atuwatse III, the Queen Consort of the Warri Kingdom in Nigeria. The event was also attended by Dr Joyce Banda, the former President of Malawi, and Dr Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, the former President of Mauritius.

Vice President Prof Opoku-Agyemang drew on her many years of conversations with women in Ghana’s markets.

She said these women understand business, assess risks, manage resources, and sustain communities, stating that many might not describe themselves as leaders, yet they exercise considerable responsibility and contribute significantly to our economies.

Vice President Prof Opoku-Agyemang also shared some of the steps Ghana was taking to address barriers to opportunity and participation, including the recent launch of the Social Protection Act, 2025 (Act 1148); the Social Protection Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2521); and the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2522).

These instruments, the Vice President said, were important and that implementation was equally essential.

“Our responsibility is to build systems that enable more women to participate fully and benefit fairly,” Vice President Prof Opoku-Agyemang said.

She reiterated that the upcoming Women’s Development Bank seeks to address the financial barriers many women face as they expand what they have already built.

She expressed the hope that these conversations would lead to practical collaboration, particularly in support of women whose abilities and ambitions were not yet matched by the opportunities available to them.