Sam Jonah lists 8 ‘extraordinarily talented’ women leaders in Ghana

Listen to this article Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Sir Sam Jonah, Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, UCC, has stressed the challenges that women particularly face in the world of work.

According to him, despite there being setbacks for all genders in “a very cynical world out there,” there are more pronounced challenges for ladies.

In a speech he delivered over the week at the 2022 Graduation Ceremony of Ashesi University, he underlined the importance of knowledge and ethical leadership, tasking graduands to do all it takes to impact their various societies positively in different fields.

“Trust me, the most potent weapons against prejudice are knowledge and competence. These harsh realities will be faced by all of you, but even to a greater extent by the ladies amongst you.

“Unfortunately, the world out there has not fully appreciated the tremendous role our women play in society and therefore the women among you might face even more challenges” Mr Jonah said.

He observed that globally, female leaders have proven gamechangers in many respects, citing among others Golda Meir of Israel; Winnie Mandela of South Africa; Indira Ghandi of India; Margaret Thatcher of the United Kingdom; and more recntly, Angela Merkel of Germany.

He proceeded to list eight Ghanaian women leaders who he described as “extraordinarily talented” having worked with them in one capacity or the other.

Find Sir Sam Jonah’s list below:

Mansa Nettey of Standard Chartered Bank

Abena Osei-Poku of ABSA Ghana

Afua Kyei, the young CFO of Bank of England

Beatrice Agyemang of Media General

Mimi Darko of Food and Drugs Authority

Patricia Obo-Nai of Vodafone Ghana

Patience Akyianu of Hollard Insurance

Lucy Quist formerly of Airtel Ghana and now Managing Director of Morgan Stanley in London, which is one of the biggest investment banks in the world

The Executive Chairman of Jonah Capital, added two women to the list, his wife and daughter, praising their strides in business and entrepreneurship.

“And there is also my own wife who is here with me today, a uniquely talented and inspiring woman who conceived and built Africa’s first 5- star Marriott Hotel from scratch; not forgetting my daughter Tamara Jonah who after school chose the entrepreneurial route and set up what has become arguably Ghana’s biggest events management company”.

“These are just a few of the women who have shown that prejudice cannot stop a person who is determined to succeed; and these are women who against all odds, have broken the glass ceiling for your generation to emulate and perhaps even surpass,” he stressed.