Mrs. Gladys Asmah

Minister for Fisheries Mrs Gladys Asmah was born into the Danquah-Busia (UP) family and started active politics in 1979. In 1981, she was appointed as a Member of the Committee of Minority Parties that was negotiating for a simple united party to contest the PNP Government in the then upcoming 1983 elections until the December 1981 military intervention. She was the only woman on the committee.

When Ghana was ushered again into a civilian Democratic dispensation, Mrs. Gladys Asmah once again became a founding member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and contested the Takoradi Constituency seat in the 1992 general election which was eventually boycotted by the opposition parties.

She eventually contested the Takoradi seat in 1996 and won to represent the people of Takoradi Constituency.

Currently, Hon. Gladys Asmah is the NPP Member of Parliament for Takoradi. Her constituents have given her their unequivocal mandate to serve them and protect their interest in parliament for a third term from 1996 - 2008.

Hon Gladys Asmah has served in various capacities in public institutions. Among these are:

Second Vice President, Association of Ghana Industries for 4 two-year terms, a Member Western Region Consultative Council and the Chairman of the Regional Implementation Committee for Women in Development Loans.

She was also a Board Member for Fijai Secondary School, Sekondi, Ahantaman Secondary School, Takoradi, Ghana National College, Cape Coast (her Alma-mater) and presently the Chairman of the Management Board of the, Takoradi Women's Training Institute.

She was also a founding Board Member of the Ahantaman Rural Bank, Agona in the Western Region.

On the social front, Mrs Gladys Asmah has since 1973 worked tirelessly towards socio-economic empowerment of women. In, 1976, she was instrumental and supported the Tarkwa Women Income Generating Association (An ILO Project for the advancement of Women) in obtaining Bank loans for their Palm Oil Processing Project which is still operating.

As a voluntary social worker and the Managing Director of the House of Anabelle Dressmaking Company in Takoradi, she used her facilities to train over 1200 young girls free of charge in Dressmaking and organised women from the rural communities to assess credit facilities from the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) loans.

She also established the Women Development Fund (WDF) when she was the Minister for Women and Children's Affairs as a tool for poverty reduction among women.

She has since 1991 attended so many seminars and conferences both in Ghana and abroad. Some of the major ones were; New Delhi ( India ) (Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and International Conference for Women Entrepreneurs). (USAID – Entrepreneurs International Training) Washington – USA

Connecticut – USA (Seminar on Aid to Artisans)

And North Carolina – USA (Seminar on new trends in textiles and garment industry.

She enjoys cooking, reading and sports. She also delights in singing Christian hymns, classical music and counselling.

Her commitment to Women and Children and family issues in general is one of her passions in life. No wonder people in all walks of life look upon her as a mother and call her Mama.

In 1996 she became the first woman Deputy Minority Leader in Parliament. She was re-elected in the December 2000 elections and as a member of the majority in parliament and in Government she was appointed as the Minister for Women and Children's Affairs with Cabinet status.

Hon Gladys Asmah will go down in our political history as a foundation Minister having been appointed the first Minister for Women and Children's Affairs and the first Cabinet rank Minister for Fisheries.