The 1st National Market Women Conference on Tuesday was brought  to a successful end, with participant expressing hopes in the  Government's aim to empower market women for economic prosperity.

The two days event, on the theme "empowering market women for economic prosperity" was which was organised by the ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, as part of Government's effort to  engage market women and identify their challenges and concerns to improve their economic empowerment and participation in the labour market.It was also designed to  provide  them with skills training as well as improving their services.

Addressing the Conference,the First Lady Nana Lordina Mahama, expressed her profound gratitude to the minister  of Gender, Children and social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur for coming up with such program which happens to the first its kind.

The  conference, held at the forecourt of the state house, saw the presence of  huge number of women drawn from various markets across the country, making a strong case of their preparedness to work with Government as it seeks to empower women.

The first lady assured market women about Government's preparedness to give more attention to the activities in the various markets

"The small markets stalls we operate from our various markets are at the heart of our economy and therefore cannot be neglected by policy makers," she said.

"As policy makers get to appreciate the operations of these market stalls, as sites of major economic empowerment, more attention will be given to the transactions, activities that go on there.

This is why Government is engaged currently in modernizing most of the traditional markets in the country and improving the general environment in which our traders work."

90% of women make up the informal sector

On her part, the Minister of Gender Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur revealed that women constitute 90.9 % percent in the informal sector which is regarded as the growth Engine of Ghana's economy.

She further said that a study conducted at the Techiman market revealed 91% of these market women  had not  participated in any form of training, as 99% had not received any direct economic empowerment initiative from government or any Civil Society Group.

She however assured the women of Government plan to bring a paradigm shift in the their operations at the various market places.

"Today, we are focusing on you, market women.You form the largest economic group of women in Ghana and we believe that when you prosper, the entire nation will ultimately prosper," she said.

14670748_10154350262163113_8928904750771166196_nThe traders, though impressed with the prospects of the Conference, used the platform as an opportunity to state their grievances on the poor conditions and standard of the markets in which they operate, calling on Government ti expedite action to mitigate the problems.

"Am happy to have participated in an event like this which seeks to put women at our proper place.We'v been neglected for far too long and I wish to say 'ayeeko'to the First lady and the Minister for coming out with such program.But i will task them to let us see the actions being taking by Government in  the various markets,"one trader told ghanaguardian.com

Another woman from Brong Ahafo said:"I have hope that thongs will change.We can only pray for God's favor to have our expectations met."

STATEMENT OF APPRECIATION

Leadership from the various market across the country , in a statement read the President of  the Greater Accra markets women Association, expressed its profound  appreciation to Government.

"we the leaders and representatives of the market women associations and other market operators from all the ten(10) regions, having participate the first ever National Market Women Conference  in Accra on the 24th and 25th of October, 2016 on the theme 'Empowering Market Women for Economic Prosperity' appreciate the unique opportunity that has been provided for us to share our concerns, ideas and insights," the statement read.

"We would like to express our deepest gratitude to President John Mahama for his government efforts to improve the various markets all over the country including those in Accra, Kejetia, Kotokuraba and in other regions", it added

By Fiifi Abdul Malik/ghanaguardian.com