'Don’t sleep with anyone for favours’ – 83-year-old Lt. Col. Georgina Mensah advises young women

Josephine Amuzu 16:14 - 17 August 2026

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83-year-old Lt. Col. Georgina Mensah Image source: Kafui Dey

Retired Lt. Col. Georgina Mensah advises young women to rely on ability and confidence rather than exchanging sexual favours for professional success.

Lt. Col. Georgina Mensah has advised young women not to exchange sex for professional favours.
She urged women with the ability and confidence to pursue opportunities, even in male-dominated fields.
Drawing from her experience in the armed forces, she encouraged young women to rely on their abilities rather than what others can offer them.

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Georgina Mensah has urged young women seeking to build careers and break barriers in male-dominated fields to remain bold, confident and focused on their abilities rather than relying on sexual relationships for professional opportunities.

In an exclusive interview with Kafui Dey, Lt. Col. Mensah advised young women not to engage in sexual relationships in exchange for favours, stressing that such an approach would not guarantee success.

Don’t go and sleep with anybody because it doesn’t work, you have to sleep with all of them before, even that won't work. So forget it, she said.

According to the retired military officer, women who have the ability and qualifications to succeed should not be afraid to step forward simply because they are entering fields traditionally dominated by men.

Be dynamic, don’t be afraid, she advised. If you have it in you, step forward. Don’t be timid.

Lt. Col. Mensah also spoke about her own experiences as a woman in the armed forces and the challenges she encountered while navigating a male-dominated environment.

Recounting an experience during her time in the military, she said she once heard a senior officer make a derogatory sexual remark about her in her presence.

She said the incident did not deter her or change her approach to her career.

The retired officer maintained that she would never have exchanged sexual access for professional advancement, saying opportunities should not be dependent on what a man can offer a woman in exchange for sex.

I won't let you sleep with me, if I want to sleep with you, I'll sleep with you. But a man will not sleep with me because of something that I want, or something he can give me. Nobody can give you anything, she said.

She added that young women should recognise their own abilities and have the confidence to pursue opportunities on their own merit.

Lt. Col. Mensah described herself as a dynamic and forceful person and said those qualities have remained with her throughout her life.

I still am, even at 83, she said.

Her message to young women was clear: pursue opportunities with confidence, develop your abilities and do not allow fear or pressure to determine how far you go.

For her, breaking through barriers requires courage, self-belief and the willingness to step forward when an opportunity presents itself.

Don’t go and sleep with anybody in exchange for favours, it doesn’t work - Lt. Col. Georgina Mensah (rtd) advises young women trying to breakthrough.

Watch full interview here https://t.co/6ThePDZbrD #KafuiDeyInterviews pic.twitter.com/x3rfRdZojR
— Kafui Dey (@KafuiDey) August 17, 2026