Gender
A ‘bow’ for Ghanaian women at Christmas
Christmas is a festive season celebrated by most Christians worldwide to commemorate the birth of their saviour Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem in Roman- controlled Judea. The birth of Jesus Christ is described in the biblical gospels of Matthew and Luke, but there is no definitive historical evidence for the exact date
The gospels and historical sources do not provide a date for Jesus’ birth, but most scholars believe it was between six and four Before Christ (BC).
His parents Joseph, a carpenter was legally Jesus’ father, but Mary was a virgin when Jesus was conceived through the Holy Spirit
The commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ known as Christmas is celebrated on December 25, but there is no evidence that Jesus was born on that date. Church leaders may have chosen that date to coincide with a Roman festival.
As the season draws closer across the globe, various activities are planned by churches, organisations and families.
In Ghana, Christmas celebrations tend to start around the December 20, lasting till the New Year with lots of activities which go on during the festive period, with the main focus being on people travelling around the country to visit family and friends.
It is celebrated with a variety of traditions, including church services, gift-giving, preparing, sharing and eating of traditional food like fufu with chicken or goat soup, rice and stew or jollof rice.
Church services are held late into the night, featuring dancing, drumming, choir singing, and sometimes a nativity play with people attending in traditional clothing, and then exchange gifts.
In Ghana, during the festive celebrations in homes are mostly spearheaded by women regardless of what they already do on any given day.
Women add extra chores such as buying and wrapping presents, planning and preparing meals in large quantities, attending parties, stuffing food stuffs, decorating the house and ensuring everyone and everything was intact.
Women, both young and old become the pivot around which every home revolves around during festive periods especially Christmas.
All of this time-consuming, behind-the-scenes activities can make the season especially uptight, particularly for women. They do most of the chores at home with the mindset of this is a “me” job, “I am a better multi-tasker,” “so I will just do it.” “If I do not do it, no one will” and so forth. This they do to ensure everyone is ok during the festive season and beyond.
An American Sociological Review found that women reported doing more “cognitive labour” at home than their spouses did – anticipating, identifying options, making decisions and monitoring progress.
Throughout the year, women have demonstrated remarkable dedication and perseverance, effortlessly juggling their responsibilities at home and in their various workplaces. Their ability to balance these dual roles has earned them admiration and appreciation from all.
At home, women have taken on numerous roles: caregivers, nurturers, educators, and managers. They have ensured the well-being and happiness of their families, often putting others’ needs before their own.
In the workplace, women have made significant contributions across various industries, exceling in fields such as business, healthcare, education, technology, journalism and more. Their hard work, expertise, and leadership have earned them recognition and respect.
Despite facing numerous challenges, including gender biases and societal expectations, women have continued to thrive and make a positive impact in their communities. Their resilience, adaptability, and determination have inspired countless others.
As we celebrate the holiday season, let us take a moment to acknowledge and appreciate the tireless efforts of women everywhere. Their selflessness, compassion, and dedication to their families and communities are truly deserving of our recognition and gratitude.
As we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, let us also honor the women who have made a positive impact in our lives throughout the year and give them a “bow” of respect, gratitude, and admiration.
The role of women in Ghanaian society is multifaceted and invaluable. They are the backbone of our families, providing love, support, and nurturing to their children and loved ones.
They are also pillars of our communities, contributing to economic development, education, healthcare, and social welfare.
This Christmas, there is the need to honor the Ghanaian woman for her unwavering dedication, resilience, and compassion and celebrate her strength, her perseverance, and her selflessness.
As we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, it is important to remember the role of Mary, the mother of Jesus, who embodied the values of love, kindness, and selflessness and draw inspiration from her example and recognise the invaluable contributions of Ghanaian women to our society.
To all Ghanaian women, The Spectator salutes you this Christmas season. May your love, kindness, compassion, and selflessness continue to inspire us all.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
Gender
Ngleshie Alata Queen mother pledges to champion girl-child education
The newly enstooled Paramount Queenmother of Ngleshie Alata, James Town in Accra, Naa Affipong IV, has pledged to make girl-child education the cornerstone of her reign, emphasising its critical role in transforming communities and empowering future generations.
Speaking after her recent enstoolment, Naa Affipong IV, known in private life as Mrs Alberta Addo, called on parents and guardians to prioritise the education of their daughters, stressing that educating a girl has a far-reaching impact beyond the individual.
“I pledge to dedicate my reign to champion girl-child education, which is a crucial tool for youth empowerment and community development,” she declared.
She pointed out that empowering girls through both academic and vocational training would not only reduce social issues such as teenage pregnancy but also prepare them to become responsible and influential leaders in society.
Naa Affipong IV highlighted the urgent need to provide young girls with equal opportunities and create environments that support their growth and confidence.
She urged parents to be intentional about their daughters’ futures, saying “an educated girl has the power to lift her entire family out of poverty and transform her community. We must not fail them.”
The Queen mother also appealed to chiefs, elders, and community leaders to join forces in promoting initiatives aimed at empowering the youth, particularly young girls, through education, mentorship, and entrepreneurship.
While advocating girl-child education, Naa Affipong IV stressed the importance of peace, unity, and moral values within the community, especially among the youth.
The Queenmother also emphasised the importance of collaboration between traditional authorities and state institutions to address broader community challenges such as unemployment, infrastructure deficits, and social vices.
Her enstoolment ceremony was marked by vibrant cultural displays and attended by chiefs, queen mothers, elders, and residents of the Ngleshie Alata community. As part of the rites, she swore an oath of allegiance to the elders of Adjumako Durampong, promising to serve her people with dedication
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
Gender
Vice President Opoku-Agyemang visits five families of victims of helicopter tragedy
Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang on Tuesday led a government delegation to pay a courtesy visit on the families of the five civilian victims of the August 6 helicopter tragedy.
The visit, which was on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, who is currently on a working visit to Japan, was to comfort the widows and children of the deceased persons, and to find out how they were doing.
The Vice President’s delegation visited the families of Dr Samuel Sarpong, Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Mr Samuel Aboagye, Deputy Director-General, National Disaster management Organisation (NADMO).
The rest were the families of Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna, Deputy National Security Coordinator in-charge of Human Security; Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, Defence Minister and Alhaji Dr Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology.
Members of the Vice President’s delegation included Mr Julius Debrah, Chief of Staff at the Presidency; Dr Valarie Sawyerr, a Senior Presidential Advisor for Governmental Affairs; Mr Alex Segbefia, Chief of Staff at the Office of the Vice President and Mr Seth Terkper, Economic Advisor to the President.
The rest are Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, Deputy Chief of Staff in-charge of Finance and Administration; Mr Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC); Hajia Shamima Muslim, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson; Nana Yaa Jantuah, a Presidential Staffer and Mr Rex Omar, Presidential Staffer.
The Limuna Family expressed gratitude to the Government for the visit, stating that the visit would go a long way to strengthen and comfort them.
Hajia Shamima Muslim, a Deputy Presidential Spokesperson, speaking to the media at the end of the visit, said President Mahama had directed that the delegation should visit each family of the deceased persons to find out how they were doing, especially the spouses and the children.
She noted that because the President was out of the jurisdiction, the Acting President, Vice President Professor Opoku-Agyemang, led the delegation to pay visitations to each one of the families of the victims of the tragedy.
She said basically, the visit was also to communicate the President’s commitment to support the families through this very difficult period and to reassure them of the pledge that he had made, especially for the families with young children, who were still in school, with the announcement of the Children’s Support Fund.
Hajia Shamima Muslim announced that a lot of donations were already coming through.
She said those who might want to also visit the Government Communication portals on how they could also donate to the Children’s Support Fund for the various victims or the families of the nation’s fallen heroes could do so.
That, she said, was also to help the Government ensure that whatever their fathers would have done for them, the Government would step in and do the same.
Touching on the adult children of the victims, Hajia Shamima Muslim said conversations were around on how to support their own aspirations; stating that it was the same commitment to them.
“So today we just came to reassure the families that the President is with them and will stand with them throughout this very difficult period,” she said.-GNA
