The Member of Parliament for Kintampo South, Felicia Adjei, has called for a national dialogue on adopting Proportional Representation (PR) in Ghana’s electoral system, arguing that the model could significantly improve gender equity and inclusive governance.Accra, Ghana — Delivering a statement in the Parliament of Ghana, the Kintampo South legislator said many democracies around the world have adopted proportional representation as a fairer way of translating votes into parliamentary seats.According to her, the PR system ensures that every vote contributes to representation, allowing smaller political parties and minority groups to gain parliamentary seats.Under proportional representation, she explained, a political party that secures about 30 percent of the national vote would receive roughly the same proportion of seats in Parliament, ensuring that fewer votes are wasted.Hon. Adjei noted that several African countries have already implemented the system to enhance inclusiveness in governance. She cited examples such as South Africa, Namibia, Rwanda and Senegal.She highlighted Rwanda as a notable case where the proportional system has contributed to women occupying more than 60 percent of parliamentary seats, making it one of the most gender-balanced legislatures globally.The MP contrasted this with Ghana’s current First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) electoral system, where the candidate with the highest number of votes in a constituency wins the seat even without an absolute majority.While the system is simple and widely used, she said it often results in many votes going unrepresented and can limit opportunities for women and minority groups to enter Parliament.Hon. Adjei also referenced the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024, describing it as a major milestone toward increasing women’s participation in governance.However, she cautioned that legislation alone may not fully achieve gender equity if the electoral system itself does not encourage inclusive representation.As part of potential reforms, the MP proposed the adoption of gender-balanced or “Zebra” lists, where political parties alternate between male and female candidates when allocating seats to ensure fairness in representation.She further suggested that Ghana could adopt a hybrid electoral model similar to those used in Germany and New Zealand.Under such systems, some Members of Parliament are elected directly from constituencies while others are selected from party lists based on the proportion of votes received nationally.According to her, the arrangement preserves constituency representation while improving fairness and inclusiveness in the political system.Hon. Adjei stressed that achieving gender equity is not only a matter of fairness but also critical for effective governance.She concluded that while the Affirmative Action Act provides a strong legal foundation, reforms such as proportional representation and gender-balanced lists could further strengthen Ghana’s efforts to build a more representative Parliament.