Nanahemaa Nana Adwoa Awindor, a well-known Ghanaian media personality and former host of “Greetings from Abroad,” has urged young women to earn their achievements rather than expecting them based on gender alone.
Speaking at the 2024 Youth Week celebrations held at the Assemblies of God Cedar Mountain Chapel in Accra, Awindor emphasized that merit should be the basis for earning positions.
She stressed that while affirmative action can create pathways for women, success should come from hard work rather than entitlement.
Awindor pointed out that today’s women have more opportunities to advance if they put in the effort and don’t rely on shortcuts or unfair advantages.
“I have said it over and again, as a woman, you don’t have to wait for a position to be given to you because you are a woman. No, the position has to be given to you because you deserve that space.
“You have worked your way to the space. You didn’t backpass, you didn’t bootlick, and you didn’t slip out, and you didn’t do anything ill. You worked your way to that position,” she said.
Reflecting on the progress of Ghanaian women, Awindor highlighted their achievements in high-profile roles within the judiciary and other sectors.
She expressed optimism about future possibilities, noting that women are now aspiring to even greater positions, including vice-presidential and presidential roles.
Awindor concluded by affirming that affirmative action provides hope and a chance to strive for more significant roles, but it should be based on deserving efforts rather than entitlement.
“So this Affirmative Action gives us the opportunity to hope for more. Not for free, but because we deserve to be there so we can all use it, or we can have opportunities available, and it gives us hope. So we can work towards getting a lot more space than we had before,” she said.