Speaker for the 2025 Aggrey-Fraser-Guggisberg Memorial Lectures, Mrs. Josephine Anan-Ankomah, has shed light on the structural barriers preventing women from fully participating in the financial system.
The Aggrey-Fraser-Guggisberg Memorial Lecture Series is an annual event hosted by the University of Ghana to commemorate James Kwegyir Aggrey, Alexander Fraser, and Sir Gordon Guggisberg for their instrumental roles in the development of higher education in Ghana.
The 2025 lectures, held on March 13 and 14 at the University of Ghana’s Great Hall, brought together distinguished guests, including the Chancellor, Mrs. Mary Chinery-Hesse, Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, university management, industry leaders, and students.
Delivering the first lecture on the theme “Her Money, Her Power: Making Finance Work for Women,” Mrs. Anan-Ankomah emphasized that existing financial structures remain inflexible and unaccommodating to women, discouraging them from engaging with or seeking financial knowledge.
“From gender-blind policies that claim neutrality but are not, to financial illiteracy and the glaring absence of gender-disaggregated data, the system is designed in a way that keeps women on the margins.”
Mrs. Anan-Ankomah stressed the critical role of education in breaking these barriers, describing it as the foundation for empowering women financially. She argued that equipping women with financial knowledge is the first step toward reshaping their relationship with money and, ultimately, enhancing their influence in society.
“Education is the first currency of financial power. If we are truly committed to making finance work for women, we must start early. A financially empowered woman does not emerge by chance—she builds her knowledge and confidence over time.”
In an interview with Univers News after the lecture, Mrs. Anan-Ankomah further elaborated on the importance of using the right models to educate women about finance. She emphasized that financial education should be tailored to women’s unique needs and circumstances to ensure meaningful empowerment.
“One must fly with the eagles, not the turkeys. Study the journey of those who have achieved financial success and let that inspire you to aim higher. If you remain confined within your own limited space, you will only see what is familiar, rather than what is possible.”
Mrs. Anan-Ankomah’s lecture served as a call to action for both women and financial institutions to rethink traditional financial structures and make them more inclusive. Her powerful message aligns with the global push for women’s economic empowerment, reinforcing the need to make financial independence a tangible reality for all women.
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Story by: Nancy Kyeremeh | univers.ug.edu.gh
