By Albert Allotey
Accra, Sept. 1, GNA – The Ghana Communication Technology University (GCTU) Ladies Association has held a durbar to celebrate its first anniversary with a call on members to help mitigate workplace challenges.
It was on the theme: “The Career Woman, Her Home, Work and Society.”
Dr Josephine Larbi-Appau, an e-Learning Management Consultant, and guest speaker, said: “Though the career woman is a unique individual, coming together as an association can afford you the opportunity to progress and mitigate the challenges holistically.”
She urged the members to study the workplace policies to inform their bargaining power, particularly on sexual harassment, conditions of service, and vacation, adding: “You have the power to negotiate and reshape policies meaningfully.”
By so doing they could structure their families’ demands into their work schedules, she said, and urged them to separate work from family responsibilities.
“What belongs to the workplace is for the workplace, and what belongs to the home is for the home. So please try to do that and maintain that. I know it is difficult as a career woman, but if you put your mind to it, you can do it. A career woman must have a plan.”
“Always remember the Four-Ds: Do it, Delegate it, Dump or Delete it, which will help you organise yourselves.”
“You must also look for support and do not shy away from asking for it, especially from your husbands. You can go easy on yourselves by assigning some of the responsibilities to your spouses and children.”
Dr Larbi Apau advised the ladies to seek God in all endeavours and must be careful not to replace Him with the “so-called earthly spiritual fathers” to jeopardise their families and relationships.
She urged them to work together as an association while watching the backs of the vulnerable and being sympathetic.
Oheneyere Gifty Anti, a journalist and host of the Standpoint, said so many responsibilities had been placed on women in the 21st century yet they were not allowed to develop to their full potential.
“This is because society has it that a woman with so many credentials would not get a man to marry. These things have been used to curtail the development of the full potentials of women for a long time,” she said.
Professor Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa, the Vice Chancellor, GCTU, in a welcome address, assured the Association of the Board and Management’s support to ensure its growth and urged the members to continue to support their men in all endeavours.
GNA