NAME ERASED — Georgina Fought Back After Officers Struck Her Off Ghana’s First Female Peacekeeping Mission

Ghana’s first female United Nations peacekeeper, Retired Lieutenant Colonel Georgina Mensah has recalled how she confronted senior military officers after her name was removed from a peacekeeping assignment despite being officially nominated for the mission.

Speaking in an interview with Kafui Dey, Retired Lieutenant Colonel Mensah said she was on leave when she learnt that her name had appeared in the military’s daily orders as a member of the peacekeeping mission. But when she checked the orders the following day, her name had been deleted.

“I said no way, I’m not going to sit down,” she recalled.

At the time, Grandma Soja was a captain and an education officer. Her director had nominated her for the mission because education officers were among the few military personnel considered suitable for the English-language duties involved.

According to her, however, the decision was reversed at headquarters and another officer was lined up to replace her.

Rather than accept the decision, Retired Lieutenant Colonel Mensah sought an explanation from senior officers. She eventually went to the office of the then General Officer Commanding, General Quianoo, despite being several ranks below him.

“I want to find out why,” she told the officers handling the matter after discovering that her name had been removed.

One senior officer initially explained that there had been resistance to sending female personnel on peacekeeping missions, particularly female nurses.

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Mensah , however, insisted that she was not a nurse and questioned why her profession and rank should disqualify her. “Sir, did you say education officer? Did you say captain? Why am I disqualified? Why?” she recalled asking.

The officer eventually agreed that she had a case and promised to present it to the General Officer Commanding.

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Mensah said she made it clear that she would not quietly accept another rejection.

The following day, she received confirmation that she had been selected. She was instructed to collect her letter and undergo the required medical examinations for the peacekeeping mission.

“That’s how it happened,” she recalled. Her determination opened a door that had previously been closed to women. When she returned from the mission, she said there were about 15 women going on peacekeeping assignments.

“I was the only woman because nobody had nominated a woman,” she said.

Looking back, Retired Lieutenant Colonel Mensah said the episode reflected a pattern that continued throughout her career: having to push back when she believed she was being unfairly treated.

Asked whether that had been the story of her life, she answered simply: “Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.”