The District Chief Executive of Bongo in the Upper East Region, Rita Atanga says she is unable to stand up to her tasks due to challenges she is encountering simply because she is the only female at the top management level of the Assembly structure.
Despite the challenges against her success since her assumption as District Chief Executive in 2021, Madam Atanga said, she has never regretted being the President’s Representative, and would not be hesitant to accept reappointment as and when it comes.
Madam Atanga said, women have the capabilities to execute their task well when given one, but are always brought down so that their voices are not heard enough.
She made these remarks exclusively to Dreamz news on the sideline of a program dubbed, “Women Empowerment and Their Participation in Local Governance” (WEPLOG), organised by TEERE, in the Bongo District on Friday March 10, 2023.
The program sought to mobilize, empower and increase women participation in the upcoming 2023 District Assembly Elections.
In the last District Level Elections, the only 2 female candidates who contested against 103 male candidates in the Bongo District lost.
This, Madam Atanga said is of much concern, and will be ready to encourage and support any woman who will avail herself to contest this year’s Assembly Elections.
Using herself as an example of the setbacks faced by women that hinder their progress in leadership roles, Madam Atanga said, “I am the only woman in the Assembly at the governance level, and I will say, there is a big challenge I’m facing now. I can’t stand up to my task because people don’t want me to succeed”
“People don’t want me to do the right things because I’m alone [the only woman]. If I was having other women supporting me in the assembly as Assembly Women, as Director or any other position that is at the top management level, at least, I will be able to fight it. I’m there now, am I given the chance to operate freely? She asked.
Despite the challenges, she added, “I have never regretted being a DCE as a woman because I know I can bring change and development to Bongo”.