The Greater Accra Regional Queenmothers Association was on Thursday launched in Accra with a mandate to revitalize women’s role in traditional governance and leadership in the Region.

It also seeks to empower Queenmothers, foster unity, promote peace, and collaboration among themselves, for the development and eradication of poverty and solving of sanitation problems in the Region and the country.

Manye Amponsah Dokua III, Queenmother of Osudoku, and President of the Greater Accra Queenmothers Association said the Region was faced with a peculiar challenge of not having recognized queen mothers of paramount status to play central roles in traditional governance hence the need for the Association.

Manye Dokua III who is also the Vice President, National Council of Women Traditional Leaders said the lack of unity and workable association among Queenmothers has made the Region to lag behind and may not be well represented at the Regional and National House of Chiefs.

She urged all Queenmothers to come together and show commitment towards the success of the Association.

Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, Greater Accra Regional Minister, commended the Queenmothers for coming together to form the Association, adding, “It is a step in the right direction for the socio-economic development of the Region”.

The Regional Minister said this is important as it would support the Queenmothers work for stability and cohesiveness.

He said Queenmothers were the repository and embodiment of Ghanaian Culture as well as agents of change and thus needed to promote traditions to enhance the social cohesion and equity for accelerating development of boys and girls, women and men regardless of their status to foster social inclusion.

Mr Afotey Agbo said unless society empowers women and recognise their capability and capacity to improve lives “there would not be any meaningful development of the family and society as a whole”.

He thus urged the queen mothers and traditional rulers to harness the capabilities of all in society for the good of the communities.

He again appealed to opinion leaders and custodian of tradition and culture to use their position to educate and preserve the sanctity of the traditions and also lead the crusade against indiscipline, discrimination, and environmental degradation.

He called on traditional rulers to forge close alliance with the assemblies to resolve challenges confronting them to bring about success and development in the societies.