GEA Holds 5th Annual Leadership Conference
The Ghana Employers Association (GEA) held its 5th Annual Leadership Conference on Thursday, May 28, 2026 at Alisa Hotel, North Ridge. The Conference was held under the theme: “Leading from the Top: Executive Responsibility beyond Strategy.” As part of the Conference, GEA graduated 61 women leaders under its Female Future Programme.
The President of GEA, Nana Dr Emmanuel Adu-Sarkodee Afriyie, in his address said the Female Future Programme was introduced in partnership with the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise to equip women with leadership, professional and workplace skills needed to thrive in leadership positions. He added that the conference had become an important platform for discussions on responsible leadership and women’s advancement in Ghana.
Nana Afriyie also commended employers and corporate partners for supporting women’s leadership development and investing in female talent. He further emphasized that leadership was not only about occupying positions of authority but also creating opportunities for others and ensuring fairness, inclusion and accountability within institutions. He encouraged the participants to apply the knowledge and experience gained through the programme to positively impact their organisations and society.
The Managing Director of Nestlé Ghana Limited, Ms Salome Azevedo, commended GEA for sustaining the Female Future Programme and promoting women’s leadership development in the country. She urged the graduands to use the knowledge and experience gained through the programme to inspire and support other women in leadership.
The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, who represented Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, described the Female Future Programme as one of the most impactful leadership initiatives promoting women’s advancement and gender inclusion in the country.
She also emphasized the need for women to continue taking up leadership positions and contributing meaningfully to decision-making processes in the country; hence, she called on more organisations in the private sector to champion workplace inclusion and dismantle barriers that hold women back.
“Leadership inclusion must go beyond numbers. It must give women the skills, confidence and institutional support they need to influence decisions and shape national transformation,” she stated
Dr. Lartey extolled the passage of the Affirmative Action Gender Equity Act 2024, explaining that the law would help address gender imbalance in leadership and decision-making spaces and urged employers and corporate institutions to continue supporting women through mentorship, recruitment, and leadership opportunities to help build stronger and more inclusive institutions in the country.