The Ladies Branch, a women-focused organisation that seeks to empower and uplift women professionally in a bid to help them get equal access to opportunities, has organised a holistic empowerment event for some ladies in Accra, ranging from students to early career starters, and professionals.
The event was held under the theme Accelerating Equity and Empowerment for Women. It also brought professionals from different fields—health, finance, and human resource (HR) management—together to give the women the information needed for their personal and career growth. The special guest of honour was the Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Protection.
In an interview with Nation 1 TV, the founder of the organisation and the organiser of the program, Drusilla Obenewaa Asante, said that though the organisation is young, they have been able to organise many programs of this kind within the two years of its formation.
She said the theme for the program is in conformity with the theme for the observation of International Women’s Day this year. Again, the topic will help build the community so that everybody is given certain forms of opportunity.
She admonished women to get themselves involved in programs like this. She asserted that such programs will build them professionally, health-wise, and financially, so they can have the leverage they are looking for in their careers.
The event had three main speakers: Dr. H.T. Senayah spoke about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. He explained the signs and symptoms, how it is diagnosed, its effects on women, especially those of childbearing age, and the treatment methods currently available. Then, Ms. Dzifa Ahiable spoke about the various types of pension schemes and why it is important to invest in our future. She admonished the ladies to ensure that the employees pay their pension contributions and follow up to make sure their tier 2s are transferred accordingly when they change employers. Lastly, Yaw Owusu Okyere, an HR consultant and one of the speakers, expressed his belief in the abilities and potential of women. He spoke about the importance of career development.
He encouraged women to challenge themselves by taking part in training like this. He taught the ladies the components of a good CV/resume and how to prepare for interviews. Also, he advised the women who took part in the program to use the information they received to their advantage. He said this will help guide and develop their careers.
In a speech read on her behalf by the Deputy Director, Vera Karikari, the Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Protection commended the founder of the organisation for putting together an event of this nature and charged the ladies to stay focused and committed to self-development.
She said the government is making a lot of efforts to promote gender equality and inclusion in spheres of national development. She entreated the women to empower themselves by investing in their education. This, according to her, will help them acquire the requisite knowledge needed for the job market.
The program was sponsored by Simple Exercise Life, Mirron Ghana, M’at Couture, Selva Prime, and Pill Express.
