Mr. Kwame Afram Denkyira, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Programmes Manager of ActionAid Ghana (AAG) has entreated queens to upgrade themselves educationally to be abreast with current issues in the society.

This he said would enable them to be more knowledgeable and confident enough to participate in meetings with their highly educated peers and male counterparts.

In that sense they could contribute effectively in discussions of issues concerning the chieftaincy institution, traditional affairs and other matters affecting the well-being of the society in general, Mr. Denkyira stated. He observed that queens and women in particular have been side-lined for very long time and therefore needed to be involved in decision-making processes at various levels in the country.

Mr. Denkyira gave the advice when he was speaking at the opening of a two-day capacity building workshop on leadership skills for 30 paramount queens from the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regions at Abesim, near Sunyani.

Under the theme “Training on Leadership, Effective Participation, Advocacy and Lobbying for Paramount Queens”, the workshop was organised and sponsored by the AAG, a civil society organisation that advocates for women and children rights and interest.

It was supported by Social Development Improvement Agency (SoDIA) and Center for Maternal Health and Community Empowerment (CMCE), a non-governmental organisations that also promotes the interest of women and children. Mr. Denkyira observed that contributions of female traditional leaders in the society and in the house of chiefs were not so encouraging and thus admonished them, especially the educated ones to take advantage of the internet and other sources of learning to gain deeper understanding of issues to impact positively on the people, particularly in their communities.

Mrs. Jocelyn Adii, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Director of the Department of Gender emphasised the need for the inclusion of queens and women in decision-making processes notably about issues that affected the interest of females because the women understood better matters affecting them and could suggest the right solutions.

Nana Abena Boatemaa, the Paramount Queen of Odomase Number One in the Sunyani west District and the President of National Women Traditional Leaders Association urged participants to remain faithful and honest, saying through that they would be dedicated to the cause of the people because “leadership is service to mankind”.