The Director-General of the National Development Planning Commission, Dr. Audrey Smock Amoah, has called for increased investment in women as a critical driver of Ghana’s sustainable development.
Speaking as the Guest of Honour at the Women in Leadership Conference organised by the Petrosol Women’s Network in Accra, Dr. Amoah commended the initiative for creating a platform that not only celebrates women but also deliberately strengthens their leadership capabilities. “When women are educated, have access to decent work, and are represented in decision-making, societies experience stronger economic growth, improved social conditions, and better development outcomes,” she stated.
Highlighting the central role women play in Ghana’s economy, Dr. Amoah noted that women dominate key sectors such as trade, agriculture, food processing, and small and medium-sized enterprises, yet many continue to face structural barriers including limited access to capital, technology, and productive assets. She stressed that investing in women is not an act of charity but a strategic necessity for national progress. “When we speak of investing in women economically, it is not about charity; it is about productivity, growth, and national progress,” she said, adding that inclusive leadership and equal opportunities within institutions also enhance innovation, improve decision-making, and strengthen organisational performance.
The NDPC Director-General further urged corporate institutions and individuals to take deliberate action to support women’s advancement, noting that gender equality must move beyond rhetoric to measurable institutional commitments. She also encouraged women to invest in their own development and support one another. “Each woman who rises has a responsibility to lift others. As you climb, hold someone’s hand and be part of another woman’s success story,” she said.
She concluded by calling for sustained commitment to women’s empowerment, emphasising that “when we invest in women, we do not only transform communities, we transform them exponentially.”
The Chairman of the occasion, Mad. Stella Agyenim-Boateng, also underscored the importance of harnessing the potential of women for national and corporate development. She noted that women possess immense capabilities which, when effectively nurtured, contribute significantly to organisational success and societal progress. Quoting Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah, she remarked, “If you educate a man, you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman, you educate a nation,” stressing that investing in women remains essential for building resilient communities and thriving institutions.
