The Incumbent Women Organiser for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Atwima Mponua Constituency, Madam Rita Akomeah, popularly known as Woman King, has vehemently denied allegations that she diverted Ghana School Feeding contracts meant for women to men in the constituency.
Madam Akomeah, who is seeking re-election, described the accusations as false, baseless and a calculated attempt to damage her reputation ahead of the party’s constituency elections.
“Knowing women are in charge of the kitchen, so how can I divert this feeding contract to men?” she quizzed.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the media after successfully going through vetting and balloting, the outspoken Women Organiser set the records straight on the matter that has been a subject of intense political discussion in the constituency.
According to Woman King, her office ensured that all school feeding slots allocated to the constituency were awarded to women, in line with the core objective of the programme which seeks to empower women.
“My hands are clean, I never gave the school feeding contract to men. All the contracts were awarded to our women in the constituency,” she emphasized.
She explained that the challenge that emerged was the financial capacity to pre-finance the programme. She revealed that some of the women who were awarded the contracts faced severe financial crises and could not raise the initial capital required to cook for the schools.
In such instances, she said, those affected on their own volition handed over their contracts to individuals who could finance it, including some Constituency Executives such as the Organiser and Chairman who stepped in to support at the time.
“It was not a diversion. Unfortunately, for some they had financial crisis so they handed it over to their Constituency Organizers and Chairman’s who finance the school feeding at the time. That was an arrangement between them, not from my office,” she clarified.
Woman King therefore urged party members and the public to treat the allegations with the contempt they deserve, insisting her stewardship has always prioritized the welfare and empowerment of women in Atwima Mponua.
Following the balloting, Madam Rita Akomeah has secured No. 2 on the ballot paper.
She has expressed optimism about retaining her position, pointing to her track record of mobilizing women at the grassroots and her dedication to the growth of the NDC in the Atwima Mponua Constituency.
She called for unity among women in the party and called on delegates to focus on issues and not propaganda as the party prepares to reclaim power.
