By Lawrence Odoom/Phalonzy
President John Dramani Mahama has advocated for the enactment of a law that would criminalize the coercive demand for romantic or sexual relationships as a prerequisite for employment, denouncing the practice as predatory and intolerable.
He issued the call on Saturday, May 2, during a town hall engagement at Adweso in Koforidua, marking the conclusion of his two-day Resetting Ghana Tour of the Eastern Region.
Addressing stakeholders, President Mahama condemned the abuse of authority by certain employers who allegedly exploit their position by demanding intimate relationships from women in exchange for job placements.
“One of the worst things, and I think we should pass a bill to make it punishable, is that sometimes if the employer or the person responsible for employing is a male, they demand some romantic relationship before they give them jobs. It is unacceptable. It must stop,” he stated.
The President insisted that perpetrators of such acts must face stringent legal sanctions, emphasizing the urgent need for robust legislation to shield women from workplace exploitation and abuse of power.
President Mahama further reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the full implementation of the Affirmative Action law. He disclosed that government is working assiduously to attain 50-50 gender parity in public appointments by the close of 2028, acknowledging the enormity of the task but maintaining that government remains resolute in achieving the target.