In Ghana, a significant gap exists between efforts to increase women’s presence in politics and their ultimate ascension to the highest leadership positions, as evidenced by current parliamentary and local assembly representation figures and the national imagination’s struggle to picture a female president.
Despite historical progress in securing more seats for women in Ghana’s parliament and local assemblies, their representation remains low. Out of 276 parliamentary seats, women hold only 41 (14.9%), the highest figure to date, while local assembly representation stands at approximately 4.1%. Globally, Ghana ranks 147th out of 193 countries for women’s parliamentary representation, trailing neighboring nations. These statistics highlight a success in achieving entry and presence, but not in securing top leadership roles.
Recent initiatives, including a new project to prepare women for the 2027 District Assembly elections and the Affirmative Action Act aiming for at least 30% women’s representation in public decision-making by 2026, represent hard-won victories. However, the focus of these efforts is primarily on increasing numbers within chambers and appointments, not necessarily on elevating women to command positions. This creates a situation where the ‘staircase’ to power is built high, but stops short of the ultimate leadership level.
The dynamic between women’s empowerment efforts and prevailing patriarchal structures is complex. While empowerment movements have focused on measurable gains like seats and quotas, this can inadvertently signal that representation itself is the ultimate goal. Patriarchy, conversely, doesn’t need to block entry; it influences the national imagination by shaping perceptions of what a leader looks like and how they behave. This often favors a traditional, aggressive, and well-funded campaign style developed over decades by male politicians.
This traditional path to power rewards deep pockets and a specific style of campaigning, which often disadvantages women. Researchers note that women candidates face a dual layer of attacks: one on their political competence and alliances, and another, more vicious layer targeting their gender—their appearance, marital status, and sexual reputation. This added scrutiny, which men do not face, makes the act of stepping forward significantly more costly for women.
The intersection of these forces means that while women gain entry into political spaces, the highest echelons remain under patriarchal influence. A woman reaching a high office, such as Vice President, may not be consciously excluded from the top position. Instead, the deeply ingrained patriarchal imagination fails to picture her there, especially if she doesn’t conform to the loud, relentless, and well-funded audition typically expected of presidential aspirants. This ‘fading’ from the national imagination is patriarchy’s most subtle and effective tool.
Ghana’s own political history offers a counter-narrative. The office of Vice President in the Fourth Republic has consistently served as a launchpad to the presidency for men, including John Atta Mills, John Dramani Mahama, and Mahamudu Bawumia. This established pattern demonstrates that the pathway to the top is clear and has been successfully navigated by men. The crucial missing element has been allowing a woman to utilize this same pathway.
Looking at the current political landscape, particularly within parties vying for leadership, the pattern of who is being ‘pictured’ for the top job becomes evident. A recent Global InfoAnalytics delegate poll for April 2026 showed several male contenders ahead of the sitting Vice President in her party’s internal reckoning. While Professor Opoku-Agyemang, who previously led the same poll, has seen a decline, her slip is attributed partly to a period of ill health. However, the speed with which a front-runner can become an afterthought and the ease with which the conversation shifts back to men who ‘look the part’ suggest deeper systemic issues at play.
The argument that Ghana is ‘not ready’ for a woman president is challenged by the continent’s own history. Liberia elected Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as its first woman president in 2006, who served two full terms and won a Nobel Peace Prize. Namibia’s Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah became head of state in 2025, leading a cabinet with a majority of women. However, a significant number of Africa’s women leaders, including Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan and Malawi’s Joyce Banda, ascended to power through constitutional succession following the death of a sitting president, rather than through electoral mandates.
This pattern serves as a stark warning: a nation can find itself with a woman at its helm without having actively chosen or desired that outcome. Ghana, it is argued, should aspire to more than waiting for a crisis or a vacancy to elevate a woman to its highest office.
This discussion is not about advocating for a specific woman but for a fundamental shift in perception. While no office is owed to anyone and merit is crucial, the core argument is that the possibility of a woman ascending to the presidency should be as readily imaginable as it is for men who have occupied the same positions. The ability to envision a woman as president must precede the electoral outcome.
The work required is therefore internal and cultural before it is political. It calls for party elders to consider female candidates with the same seriousness as male contenders, for delegates to recognize when ‘electability’ is merely a familiar face, and for the women’s empowerment movement to broaden its vision beyond just representation to the ultimate goal of leadership. It also requires every citizen who experienced a moment of hesitation at the thought of a female president to honestly examine the root of that hesitation.
The future trajectory of women in Ghanaian politics hinges on whether the national imagination can expand to readily picture a woman not just in the room, but at the head of the table. As Ghana looks towards future elections and leadership transitions, the true test will be whether the systemic barriers, both visible and invisible, can be dismantled to allow for the genuine possibility of a woman leading the nation by choice, not by circumstance.
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