Despite global concerns about the need to involve women in decision-making
processes at all levels, women?s representation in local politics has remained very
low in Ghana. It is interesting that since Ghana embarked on an uninterrupted
decentralisation through the District Assembly system of local government in
1988, the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly hardly gets two elected women
representation. This study is an attempt to highlight the challenges women
experience in their bid to access representation in local government and the coping
strategies they adopt. Various concepts were employed for understanding of the
situation. Four propositions were made, some of which were confirmed and
others rejected. Analysis of variables such culture, education, decentralisation and
socio-economic status helped to bring out their causal effects on women?s
representation in local government. The research findings point to cultural beliefs
and practices as the main limiting factor; and which also plays influencing role on
the other variables, which together limits women?s representation in the Tamale
Metropolitan Area. Women?s community involvement and personal individual
interaction with electorates are the main strategies that positively influenced their
election and appointment to the Assembly.