President John Dramani Mahama says Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang will soon brief Cabinet on the progress and planned rollout of the Women’s Development Bank.
He disclosed that the Vice President is leading the initiative and will shortly present the bank’s structure and objectives to Cabinet for consideration.
President Mahama made the remarks on January 31, 2026, at the launch of the SheaPark Resource Hub in Wa, in the Upper West Region.
The SheaPark Resource Hub is a flagship intervention aimed at revitalising the regional economy through industrialisation and value addition in the shea sector, positioning the Upper West Region as a key player in Ghana’s agro-industrial transformation drive.
“We are far advanced with the establishment of the Women’s Bank. The Vice President has been leading the process and they have made significant progress. She hinted to me that they will soon bring a presentation to Cabinet to explain the structure and objectives of the bank,” President Mahama said.
He expressed confidence that the bank would help women across the country expand their businesses by improving access to capital, particularly in the northern sector where women dominate the shea industry.
Meanwhile, the government has supplied protective gear to women engaged in shea nut picking, distributing 3,000 pairs of Wellington boots and 3,200 pairs of gloves.
“One of the dangers of shea nut picking is snake bites and scorpion stings. These boots will protect our women when they go into the bush to pick the nuts,” the President noted.
President Mahama further indicated that the Women’s Bank’s operations in the Upper West Region will focus on mothers involved in the shea nut value chain.
“During the picking season, these women will receive small credit facilities. As cooperatives, they can hire tricycles to transport them deeper into the bush and return with the nuts, so they no longer have to carry heavy baskets on their heads,” he explained.
