News
2 jailed for human trafficking
An Accra Circuit Court presided over by Ms Christina Cann has sentenced Ibrahim Keita, a 31-year-old Mali national and Baba Isaah, a 31-year-old Ghanaian to six and five years in prison respectively in hard labour for conspiracy to commit crime.
Ibrahim Keita, the first accused was further sentenced to six years in hard labour for human trafficking.
The presiding judge said the sentences of Ibrahim Keita were to run concurrently.
Delivering her ruling, the judge, Ms Cann indicated that the offence was premeditated and considering the inhuman treatment meted out to the victims and the increasing incidence of human trafficking, there was the need to apply the law in order to curb the practice.
Presenting the facts to the court, Detective Chief Inspector Agatha Abena Asantewaa, said in April, 2020, the Agona Swedru Police Divisional Criminal Investigation Division had intelligence report that the two convicted persons had conspired to sell one Maxime Sassou, a 20-year-old Beninoi.
She told the court that the convicts had initially wanted to sell the victim at GHC 150.000 but later increased the price to GHC 160.000 due to the depreciation of the Cedi.
The prosecutor said having settled on the price to transact the business, Ibrahim Keita lured the victim into Ghana on June 26, 2020, on the pretext that he had secured a job for him to clean, even at the time the land borders were closed as a result of the outbreak of COVID-19.
She said when the victim arrived in the country, the convicts persons arranged with the buyer to receive the money at Swedru in exchange of the victim. In the process, they were arrested when the purported buyer introduced himself as a policeman.
The prosecution witness said investigations revealed that Ibrahim Keita travelled to Benin and met with the victim who was assisting the aunt to operate a restaurant and discussed with him about his intention to double his money but the victim could not assist him.
Later, Keita befriended Baba Isaah at Agona Nyarkrom in 2019 and discussed with intention to double his money which the second convict tried all means to assist him but was not successful.
Chief Inspector Asantewaa told the court that since he was in dire need of money, Ibrahim Keita contrived another plan to sell a human which the second convict agreed to the plan.
By Raymond Kyekye
News
SEND Ghana engage Gender Minister for strategic dialogue on social protection and gender equality
A delegation from SEND Ghana visited the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, to discuss collaboration on gender equality, social protection, and economic empowerment.
SEND Ghana, known for its policy advocacy and equitable development efforts, works closely with farmers and empowers young women aged 18–35 through Mastercard Foundation-supported projects focused on livelihood and agricultural support.
The Minister welcomed SEND Ghana’s initiatives and highlighted the Ministry’s alignment with their priorities.
She reaffirmed that social protection is a top priority under President John Mahama’s government and emphasized ongoing efforts to expand coverage and enhance service delivery through flagship programmes like Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), which remains vital for vulnerable households.
Regarding the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), the Minister noted plans to introduce legislation to ensure its sustainability and improve the nutritional quality of school meals.
She praised civil society’s role in monitoring local implementation.
The Minister also voiced strong support for menstrual hygiene and reproductive health campaigns, stressing education and access to sanitary products for adolescent girls, and encouraged efforts to break menstrual taboos and keep girls in school.
Broader gender issues discussed included reducing unpaid care work, promoting gender-sensitive leave policies (maternity and paternity leave), and boosting women’s economic opportunities.
Both parties agreed on the need to build gender-responsive systems that empower women socially and economically.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to work together for inclusive development, gender equity, and stronger social protection systems in Ghana.
News
3-Day in-country capacity building workshop on Women, Peace and Security Reporting Frame Work held
In 2018, the African Union developed the Continental Results Framework (CRF) to track the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda across Africa.
To support this regional effort, ECOWAS introduced a simplified version of the CRF in 2022 to guide member states in implementation and reporting.
As part of a broader regional effort to build national capacity across member states, the ECOWAS Commission, through its Directorate for Humanitarian and Social Affairs (DHSA), and in collaboration with relevant stakeholders and the WPS Regional Steering Group—with technical and financial backing from the ECOWAS Peace, Security and Governance Project (EPSG), co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and implemented by GIZ—organized a three-day in-country capacity-building workshop in Ghana.
Held from June 10 to 12, 2025, the workshop was spearheaded by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in collaboration with the European Union, the German Embassy, and the ECOWAS Commission.
It aimed to enhance the technical capacity of national stakeholders and focal persons to systematically document, monitor, and report on WPS interventions, particularly in relation to Ghana’s National Action Plan on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (GHANAP II).
The training also focused on improving data accuracy, promoting inter-agency collaboration, and ensuring Ghana’s reporting processes align with the ECOWAS Simplified CRF.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Momo Lartey, the Director of the Department of Gender, Madam Faustina Acheampong, described the workshop as “timely and appropriate,” noting its significance in strengthening Ghana’s WPS reporting architecture.
She further stressed the importance of accurate data and coordinated efforts to meet the country’s regional reporting obligations.
She also underscored the critical role of women in peacebuilding, emphasizing the need to amplify women’s voices and ensure their full participation in peace processes to achieve lasting, inclusive peace in Ghana.
Representing the ECOWAS Commission’s Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, Mr. Olatunde Olayemi reaffirmed ECOWAS’s commitment to Ghana’s WPS agenda. He highlighted the disproportionate impact of insecurity on women and girls and praised Ghana’s ongoing efforts to advance inclusive peacebuilding as a cornerstone for sustainable development.
Daniel Messina, from the European Union Delegation to Ghana, acknowledged the role of the ECOWAS Peace and Security Architecture and Operations (EPSAO) Programme—funded by the EU and German Government—in promoting peace, security, and gender equity across the region.
Additionally, Pauline Okkens, Political Advisor at the German Embassy, reiterated her government’s continued support for the development and implementation of continental and regional frameworks on Women, Peace and Security.
