PAY BATTLE : Georgina Challenged Acheampong Over Women Officers Earning Only 90% Of Men’s Salaries

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Georgina Mensah has recalled confronting Ghana’s military leadership over a pay disparity that saw female military officers receive only 90 per cent of the salaries paid to their male counterparts.

The veteran education officer said she raised the issue directly with then head of state General Acheampong shortly after she was commissioned into the military in 1975.

According to Georgina, she was the only woman among a group of more than 50 officers who had completed training together.

“When we were commissioned, women were getting 90% of men’s 100% salaries,” she recalled.

The issue became particularly significant to her because she believed women performing the same professional duties as men should receive equal pay.

During a visit to the head of state after their graduation, Georgina said she raised her hand and questioned why female officers were receiving less.

“I was supposed to have raised my hand and asked the president why is it that women are getting only 90%,” she said.

Her question, she recalled, appeared to surprise the leadership.

“Apparently they don’t know these things,” Georgina said, recounting the response she received.

She could not confirm whether her intervention directly resulted in the pay arrangement being changed, but said she later learnt that women eventually received 100 per cent of the applicable salary.

“I don’t know the outcome whether it was my question that made us get the 100%,” she said.

The episode was consistent with Georgina’s approach throughout her military career, where she repeatedly challenged decisions she considered unfair to women.

Years later, she continued to express strong views about equality, saying she believes in fairness rather than simply identifying herself as a feminist.

“I believe in fairness,” she said.

Her position was straightforward: “Why discriminate when I’m doing the same job?”

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Mensah also recalled using her position at the US Embassy to help more women access military courses, particularly when opportunities became available specifically for female personnel.

However, she acknowledged that some military roles and courses had physical requirements that not everyone could meet.