The Queen-mother of Amasu in the Dormaa Traditional Area, Nana Yaa Sakyiwaa Korkor III, has encouraged women and girls to pursue their ambitions with confidence, drawing inspiration from the achievements of Ghana’s Vice President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang.
She made the call during a forum held in Odomase, the capital of the Sunyani West Municipality, to commemorate the 2026 International Women’s Day.
The event was organised by the Department of Gender in the Bono Region in collaboration with the civil society organisation Young Urban Women, with support from ActionAid Ghana.
Addressing schoolgirls and queen-mothers at the forum, Nana Korkor III noted that the Vice President’s journey from a young girl to a distinguished academic and political leader demonstrated that women could overcome societal barriers and stereotypes.
She said the Vice President’s achievements should motivate women and girls to strive for excellence and reject limitations imposed by traditional norms.
“In fact, numerous opportunities are available now for women and girls. We must leverage them and build meaningful lives for ourselves and our families,” she said.
While encouraging academic excellence, the queen-mother acknowledged that not every girl might pursue higher education. She therefore urged those with different interests to take advantage of government entrepreneurship programmes and skills training opportunities to build sustainable livelihoods.
Nana Korkor III also expressed concern about the increasing rate of teenage pregnancy and advised young girls to avoid behaviours that could jeopardise their future prospects.
The forum formed part of activities marking International Women’s Day, celebrated annually on March 8 to recognise the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and to advocate gender equality. This year’s celebration was held on the theme “Give to Gain: Investing in Safety, Dignity and Justice for Women and Girls.”
Also speaking at the event, Joycelyn Adii, Bono Regional Director of the Department of Gender, called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to address challenges affecting women and girls in the region.
She noted that gender-based violence, including wife beating, rape and defilement, remained prevalent and required collective action to protect the dignity and rights of women and girls.
Mrs Adii described women as “perfecters” who play a crucial role in shaping society and urged them to remain focused and determined to achieve leadership positions in politics and other fields.
