Sunson (N/R), July 26, GNA - The Most Rev Vincent Boi-Nai, the Catholic Bishop of the Yendi Diocese, has appealed to women not to allow cultural barriers to hinder them and they must come out in their numbers to contest the 2010 district level election.

He said women were equally endowed intellectually as men and formed a large percentage of the population and should therefore not leave affairs of governance to men alone since they could be better managers.

The Most Rev Boi-Nai was speaking at the close of a five-day workshop for 52 women leaders at Sunson in the Yendi District on Sunday.

The workshop was organised by the Christian Mothers' Association (CMA) in collaboration with Dialogue and Advocacy for Good Governance (DAGG), an NGO, to build the capacities and skills of the women to empower them to contest the 2010 district level election.

The workshop was on the theme: "Effective representation and participation of women in decision making at the district and local levels".

Bishop Boi-Nai commended civil society organisations for working on specific issues of concern to women such as violence against women, health and education, media representation in governance, micro-finance and grass root mobilisation.

Mrs. Elizabeth Addai-Boateng, Executive Secretary of the CMA, said it was important for women to have more women contesting the 2010 district assembly election to enable them contribute to the development of their areas.

She appealed to women to avail themselves of the election and also advise their women colleagues not to sit on the fence.

Mr. Jumah Yakubu, Deputy Coordinating Director of the Yendi Municipal Assembly, called on political parties, civil society organisations and gender advocacy groups to support women empowerment and encourage them to participate in leadership roles.