“I know I can do it, but in our setting, it’s very difficult for a woman to dream of leading a community or any organization. But when the time comes, I approached a very few individuals that I sold my idea to, they were like, have you ever see a woman that participated in such a race, okay! Let’s give it a try and see what happens”.
This an excerpt from the interview I hard with (Boko Charity) the former Assembly Woman and an aspirant assembly woman for Agoe Electoral Area, Central Tongu District in the Volta Region of Ghana.
She was the assembly woman for Agoe Electoral Area whose tenure of office has ended this year and one of the only Two elected female assembly members for Central Tongu District Assembly. In all, Central Tongu district have only Three female assembly member where one is a government appointee.
Before she became the Assembly member, representing Agoe Electoral Area, she contested with Two men, one of them was a former assembly member for the same electoral area and the contest was keenly contested. For trust and believe the electorates have in her, they were behind her and she emerged the winner.
“Despite I won, I was surprised most women in the electoral area were rather against me, but it is time when there is no one to support the course of a woman, women themselves come together and support themselves, she said”
Her work as an assembly member for the district and that of her electoral area was very instrumental; her input at the assembly and that of her electoral area was transformational. Her effort to strengthen the community and resource mobilization and strengthening the education in her electoral area is remarkable.
She was the Chairperson for Gender and Social Protection Seb Committee and an appointed member of EXECO,the highest decision making body of the Assembly,a position which helped her partner with the District Social Welfare Director in championing the course of Women and Children, every Wednesday on Dela Radio,a local radio station in the district .
She was also able to fall on organizations that helped her to supply a lot of library books to the schools in her electoral area. Because of her ability to lobby, she was able to get two hospital bed for the CHPs in her electoral area that is serving over 50 communities and the GetFund project that has stopped because of change of government is about to be completed.
She had several outreach programs for the electoral area, on health, resource mobilization, agriculture and entrepreneurship. These interventions have yielded a lot of results whereby a lot of drop outs has started apprenticeship, school enrolment has also increased and children are now able to read books during leisure time. Her outreach programs have also help farmers within the electoral area to learn good farming practice which boosted the yield of their farm produce.
Despite these monumental achievements, she is faced with several challenges that in one way or the other has hindered her ability to always be in contact with her electorates. Her electoral area is very wide and under developed. The roads that connect the electoral area to Mafi-Kumase Market where the electorate can at least sell their farm produce is very deplorable, this contributes a lot to post-harvest lost and also makes delivery of other essential health services cumbersome.
In her quest to continue the good work that she has started, she is aspiring to be reelected as the assembly member for Agoe Electoral Area come 17th December, 2019. This race is one of the most difficult races in the history of Central Tongu District assembly Elections because, she is the only female aspirant in the entire district that is contesting among three strong male. It’s going to be a very difficult one because, the support that her fellow contestants are getting is very great compare to what she is getting.
Despite all these, she has also embarked on several activities that is geared towards sensitization of the electorate, youth, and women on the need to participate in the upcoming district assembly election. And among other things, she is poised to conduct eye and breast screening, community education on good farming practices and the importance of acquiring entrepreneurial skills. This program is schedule to take off on the 6th of December, 2019 which is farmers’ day celebration. The day will be graced by other fun activities such as ampe competition, sack race, spoon race, and football match between all the communities that form the electoral area.
“I have good plan for my electorates, I can do many things if I can have the same support as my other contestants have, even this program that I am embarking on, involves a lot of financial resources, and if I can get any support, my people will always be happy they have a woman that is representing their interest.”
She is then calling on the general public for any kind of support to help implement her program successfully and to be reelected for the second term as the assembly member for Agoe Electoral Area.
“I will appreciate everyone, every little thing to this course will be highly appreciated because it will push me high, and God will bless you all’.
You can reach her
on 0249735381
0508507440
Hon. Charity Boko
Former Assembly Member and an Aspirant ,
Mafi-Agoe Electoral Area,
Cnetral Tongu.
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