Group celebrates seven Ghanaian women in "Ice Breaking" awards

Accra, April 24, GNA - Allied for New Africa, an NGO, on Friday honoured seven Ghanaian women who had chalked remarkable successes in their various fields with various awards to encourage others to aspire to such high levels.

Ms. Anna Bossman, Acting Commissioner, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) received a citation, a 21-inch colour television from Somovision, a computer and printer from IPMC and a relaxation treatment at Allure Spa.

Other honourees include Mrs. Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, Chief Justice, Mrs Joyce Bamford-Addo, Speaker of Parliament, Mrs Elizabeth Mills Robertson, Acting Inspector General of Police and Mrs Gifty Afenyi-Dadzie, former Member of the Council of State, were also given each given a citation, a 21-inch colour television, printers and a free treatment from Allure Spa.

Ms Joyce Aryee, Chief Executive of the Ghana Chamber of

Mines, received a citation, a television set and a Lap top and printer

as well as a free relaxation treatment from Allure Spa. The premier awards ceremony dubbed; "Ice Breaking" 2009 was

to celebrate the achievements and acknowledge the role of Ghanaian

women in nation-building and was sponsored by Ghana Commercial

Bank, Somovision, Allure Spa, TV Africa, BATIMAT Ghana

Limited and IPMC College of Technology. Ms Bossman thanked the initiators of the awards ceremony and

the sponsors for the honour and encouraged women to believe in

themselves, be bold and make good choices on their own without

entertaining external influences that would deter them from achieving

their dream. She further urged women, especially young girls to set ambitious

and achievable targets for themselves, while aiming at attaining

excellence, devoid of mediocrity and eschew corrupt lives. "With determination, better choices, discipline, perseverance and

the fear of God, women could attain higher levels in societies and

even aspire for the seat of the presidency in Ghana," she said. Ms Bossman dedicated her award to all women in Ghana,

especially those who encouraged her to get to such height, her

family and the entire staff of CHRAJ. All the other honourees equally thanked the sponsors and

initiators of the award for the recognition and also dedicated their

awards to Ghanaian women and their inspirers. They advised the youth, especially young women, to exhibit a

culture of humility, modesty in their demands for worldly things as

well as in their dressing, while staying focused in their academic

pursuits so that they would be able to break the ice surrounding

male domination in various socio-economic, political as well as in

cultural settings. They also advised parents not to see their female children as

burdens, but support them to attain the highest levels of education

so that they could also contribute meaningfully to the development

of the nation. Professor Kwasi Agyeman, Dean, Ghana Institute of

Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), who chaired the

occasion acknowledged the great contribution of the awardees in

their diverse achievements and towards the development of the

nation. He said Ghana was blessed with honourable women whose

efforts and contributions were outstanding. Prof. Agyeman said all the remarkable achievements established

sufficient and demonstrable evidence of a positive trend of

acknowledgement and appreciation by the country of a "can-do

achieving spirit". He said the awards ceremony therefore marked a solid

beachhead for all women and a clear demonstrable threshold where

women had no need to prove themselves, nor continue to be

"underdogs". Prof. Agyeman referred to the honourees as pacesetters and light

of opportunities, boldness, optimism and freedom for all, especially

women.