Council of State Member builds capacity of Nzema queen mothers

A member of the Council of State, Eunice Jacqueline Asomah-Hinneh, has organised a three-day capacity building workshop for members of the Nzemamanle Queen Mothers Association in the Western Region.

The workshop was aimed at equipping the participants with fresh ideas that will enable them effectively perform their duties and responsibilities as traditional leaders, as well as collate views in drafting a workable constitution to run their infant association.

Consultants and other resource persons such as lawyers, doctors and ministers of the gospel took turns to lecture the women.

This was the first time the over 80 queen mothers in the three Nzema areas, Evaluegwira-Ajomoro, Ellembelle and Jomoro, had come together to form an association that will serve as a common voice and platform in helping develop Nzemaland.

In appreciation for her support, the queen mothers unanimously declared Mrs Asomah-Hinneh as life patron of their association.

They also conferred on her the title of a “Female Nkrumah” in recognition of her good works, vision, dynamism and selflessness, as exhibited by Osaagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president and an illustrious son of Nzema.

Advice

Ms Asomah-Hinneh advised the queen mothers to remain united, peaceful and focused in the discharge of their duties.

“You should not allow anybody suppress or intimidate you as women since you all have capabilities needed for the development of your various communities and Ghana as a whole,” she said.

The Ellembelle District Magistrate, Her Worship Awo French, also advised the queen mothers to help address child maintenance issues in their respective communities. He bemoaned the fact that “child maintenance issue is on ascendancy in Ellembelle and that hardly a day passes by without the court sitting on such cases”.

Her Ladyship Awo French therefore said the involvement of queen mothers in sensitising parents, particularly fathers, on the need to cater for their children would go a long way in reducing the menace.

A consultant, Nana Aboagye Boampong, highlighted salient clauses to be included in their draft constitution such as tenure of office of executives, functions of executives, sanctions against both executives and members for misconduct, generation and expenditure of resources.

Mr Aboagye Boampong led them to form various permanent committees in the association with an advice to them to form ad hoc ones when the need arises.

He reminded the queen mothers that all these clauses are reflected in the national constitution, and advised them against going contrary to tenets of their constitution.

Meanwhile, some executives were elected at the workshop to assist an already existing interim one to run the affairs of the association, which was formed about a year ago.