Queenmother Urges new government to expand Women's Development Bank to Rural Areas

Pognaa Sadia Gbolo, Queenmother of Guo in the Dorimon Traditional Area, Upper West Region, has appealed to the incoming John Dramani Mahama-led government to prioritize the accessibility of its promised Women’s Development Bank for rural women across Ghana.

She emphasized the need for the bank to serve women in villages, who often face barriers in accessing financial services, despite the proliferation of banks in urban areas.

Speaking in an interview with Info Radio, the Queenmother made key recommendations for the bank, which was a central campaign promise of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) during the 2024 elections.

With the party set to assume office on January 7, 2024, she urged the new administration to ensure that rural women, who need financial assistance the most, benefit from the initiative.

“The Women’s Development Bank should not only be in cities where banks already exist but should be proximal to the rural woman,” she stated.

The Queenmother also called for the bank to offer competitive, low-interest loan rates to empower women economically.

She stressed that the institution must remain committed to its founding purpose of supporting women and cautioned against the bank deviating from its mandate, as seen in previous government interventions.

She further advised that the bank’s staff adopt a welcoming and understanding approach to serving rural women, many of whom may be unfamiliar with formal banking systems.

“Our rural women do not like to be stressed. ‘Go here, go there, go and come’ are some of the things that make them shy away from accessing certain formal, public services. Friendliness and patience from the staff will be essential to making this bank truly inclusive and beneficial,” she added.

Pognaa Sadia also called on women, who will be the primary customers of the bank, to live up to their part of the bargain in terms of repaying loans so as to keep the bank solvent and supporting many women.

The Women’s Development Bank, a flagship initiative in the NDC’s 2024 manifesto, has raised high hopes among Ghanaian women. Many see it as a potential game-changer in addressing longstanding challenges of access to credit and financial inclusion for women, particularly in rural areas.

With the NDC’s electoral victory over the New Patriotic Party (NPP), anticipation is growing for implementing this initiative as Ghanaian women are optimistic that the incoming administration will deliver on its promise, turning the vision of a Women’s Development Bank into a reality.

As January 7 approaches, all eyes are on the Mahama-led government to ensure that this transformative initiative lives up to expectations and provides tangible benefits to women across the country.

In related developments, Pognaa Sadia also called on the incoming government to allot 30 per cent of appointments to women across all levels of the governance and administrative structures.

The call is in line with the provisions of the recently passed Affirmative Action (Gender Equality) Law, which aims to ensure the achievement of gender equality in the political, social, economic, educational, and cultural spheres of the Ghanaian society.