News
Women in rural communities still ‘landless’despite push for gender equality
Some customs and traditions have prevented hundreds of women from owning lands in some rural communities in the northern part of Ghana. Majority of these women are into agriculture but they do not own any farm land.
At Ligma, a rural community in Savelugu Municipal Assembly in the Northern Region land ownership is one of the biggest barriers where women still cannot legally own or control land.
Even though some of these women have farms and make decisions on ploughing and planting, their husbands have the final say on when and how the final harvest is going to be shared or sold.
Base on this cultural practice, women from various communities come together to work as a group on a piece of land close to a dam.
This type of farming known to them as Contract Farming, where they work on small portion of farm to make money. These women are not only bold enough to start a business venture on their own and support other women on their farms, but they reap a good harvest after planting vegetables.
To them, agriculture is not only a means of trade and a source of livelihood, but is fundamentally associated with their culture. In the hope of making money from their farmlands, some farm owners will be keen on giving some part of their land on a contract basis, while working on other farmlands.
Madam Safiatu Yakubu, a contract farmer, says the practice helps her get more income while taking care of hers.
“I usually get GH¢ 15.00 a day which support me take care of my children in school as well as buy other ingredients to prepare food for my family,” she said.
Madam Dora Haborsutei Torwiseh, Founder of Women for Change, a Non-governmental organisation (NGO) base in Tamale in an interview said, “giving females access to the same resources and education as males could increase food production in the country.
She pleaded with chiefs and traditional leaders to allow female farmers to owe land in order to expand their farming that could provide reliable source of income.
“Without adequate funds for capital investments, female farmers not likely to buy and use fertilizer, drought-resistant seeds, and other advanced farming tools and techniques that increase crop yield,” she said.
Madam Dora again said, when these women are supported it would create steady income opportunities for rural women who are struggling to support their families in the Northern Region of Ghana.
From Geoffrey Buta, Ligma
Ahyiresu and Abofrem, two quiet communities in the Atwima Mponua District, have been shaken to the core by a chilling midnight drama that reads like a nightmare.
A pastor and a young mother stand accused of attempting to bury a five‑month‑old baby girl alive, a crime that has ignited outrage and disbelief across the township.
According to police, Apostle Richmond Akwasi Frimpong, 36, Head Pastor of the Anointed Grace Prayer Ministry at Kuffour Camp, conspired with his uncle Emmanuel Appiah, 53, and the child’s mother, 23‑year‑old Beatrice Agyapomaa, to dispose of the infant, Anaya Achiaa, under the cover of darkness.
A fourth suspect, Emmanuel Donkor, remains on the run.
The suspects were caught near a refuse dump around 10 pm on April 9, 2026, after a vigilant resident, Akwasi Twezor, noticed their suspicious movements.
When confronted, they claimed the child was already dead and had palace approval for burial. But Twezor’s instincts proved right—the baby was still alive, gasping faintly for breath.
Chief Linguist, Nana Yaw Badu, later confirmed that Frimpong had misled him earlier in the evening, securing permission for burial by falsely declaring the child dead.
The infant was rushed to the Abofrem Clinic, where she is now responding well to treatment. Police described her as “very beautiful.”
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Evelyn Yitamkey, Commander of DOVVSU in Bibiani, confirmed that the suspects have been provisionally charged.
Frimpong faces attempted murder and conspiracy charges, while Agyapomaa and Appiah are charged with conspiracy and abetment.
They were remanded by the Bibiani Circuit Court, presided over by Judge Frank Asiedu Nimako, to assist investigations.
The docket has been forwarded to the Attorney General’s Department for advice, ASP Yitamkey indicated.
The attempted crime has provoked fury among residents, many suspecting ritual motives aimed at bolstering the pastor’s influence.
Crowds attempted to attack the suspects outside court, but police intervention prevented mob justice.
The Assembly Member for Ahyiresu, Yusuf Suleiman, has assured residents that justice will be pursued swiftly.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
The forecourt of the African University of Communications and Business (AUCB) in Accra came alive on Friday with colour, creativity and innovation, as Level 300 students transformed the space into a lively exhibition of ideas.
Under the theme “Building meaningful brands beyond the logo,” the students invited patrons into a world where ordinary products were reimagined through storytelling, design and purpose.
From scented candles to innovative food concepts, each stand told a unique story, one that went beyond aesthetics to capture identity, value and human connection.
For many of the students, the event was more than just an academic exercise; it was a moment to dream out loud.
Guided by their lecturer, Peter Wonders, they explored what it truly means to build a brand in today’s competitive world where trust, consistency and experience matter just as much as logos and slogans.
Chairman of the occasion, Nana Kum Gyata VI, in his remarks said a brand is what people say about you when you are not present.
At the end of the presentations, awards were presented to deserving groups with Vida Nyaneba emerging as the overall best branding student.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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