Speaker Bagbin challenges RUWA-Ghana to build 'politics of options' among rural women ahead of 2027 elections

Ghana's Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has challenged RUWA-Ghana, a leading women's empowerment organisation, to shift how rural women engage with politics by promoting what he calls a "politics of options" — encouraging voters to judge leaders on performance rather than party loyalty.

The Speaker made the remarks during a meeting with RUWA-Ghana's Board of Trustees at Parliament House on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, as the organisation prepares for an expanded campaign ahead of the 2027 District Assembly elections.

Building on proven success

RUWA-Ghana has established a track record of meaningful intervention in local governance. The organisation's Executive Director, Masud Aziz Rauf, revealed that the group has supported 54 Village Savings and Loans Associations across six districts in the Northern and Upper West Regions, benefiting 1,350 women and enabling more than 200 small businesses to grow. These savings groups function as a dual intervention: they provide access to capital for business expansion whilst simultaneously building women's confidence and leadership capabilities.

The organisation's 2019 District Assembly elections initiative demonstrated the potential of targeted women's political mobilisation. RUWA-Ghana identified and supported 30 women candidates, of whom 21 filed nominations and three were successfully elected — representing a significant contribution to the 229 women who won District Assembly seats nationally that year.

The economics of empowerment

Mr Bagbin emphasised that women in rural communities carry disproportionate workloads across domestic care, agriculture and community management, which limits their participation in public life. He cited practical interventions — such as providing grinding mills to reduce manual labour — as concrete ways to free women's time and energy for civic engagement and leadership development.

This economic dimension is critical to understanding why RUWA-Ghana's village savings model works: it addresses immediate financial constraints whilst building the social capital and confidence needed for political participation. Women who gain financial independence and leadership experience within their savings groups are more likely to step forward as candidates and voters with independent judgment.

Why it matters for Ghana

Women represent roughly half of Ghana's population but remain significantly underrepresented in local governance structures. District Assembly elections are the foundation of Ghana's decentralised governance system and directly affect service delivery in health, education, water and sanitation. Increasing women's participation and ensuring they are elected on merit rather than party affiliation has implications for local development priorities and decision-making quality.

Speaker Bagbin's call for a "politics of options" addresses a broader challenge in Ghanaian politics: the tendency for electoral competition to deepen ethnic and partisan divisions at the grassroots level. By encouraging women — often custodians of community cohesion — to evaluate candidates based on their track record and local responsiveness, the Speaker is advocating for a more issue-focused approach to local politics.

RUWA-Ghana's proposed 2027 initiative will remain non-partisan, focusing on identifying, training and mentoring women candidates whilst mobilising community support for women's representation generally. The organisation is now seeking formal institutional partnerships with Parliament and other stakeholders to scale these efforts.

The Speaker's response — assuring the delegation, "You will definitely hear from us" — signals Parliamentary readiness to support the initiative, whether through facilitated networking with potential donors, civic education platforms or legislative advocacy.