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Gender advocate urges govt to address obstacles to girls’ education in Ghana
Ace broadcast journalist and gender equality advocate, Josephine Oppong-Yeboah, has stressed the need for the government to address all obstacles that impede girls’ education in the country.
She was of the view that although the country had done well in increasing access and enrollment, particularly at the basic and senior high schools, there was a need to ensure girls are retained in schools.
She expressed the concern that even though access and enrollment had increased, factors such as forced marriages, pregnancy, poverty, and sexual harassment oftentimes compel many girls to drop out of school before completing their basic education.
Ms Oppong-Yeboah was speaking on this year’s International Women’s Day with the media, concerning how education for girls in the country could be further enhanced.
The theme for the celebration of this year’s session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is, “Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls”.
The annual UN Commission on the Status of Women meets in March each year to address the widespread inequalities, violence and discrimination women continue to face, all around the world.
Ms Oppong-Yeboah who is attending this year’s event in New York also called for a collaborative approach from all stakeholders towards the promotion of girls’ education in the country.
“We need to find ways of ensuring that girls attend school, stay, and perform well,” she said, adding that “We cannot develop as a nation if we do not address all the obstacles affecting girls’ education in the country.”
She explained that tackling endemic problems affecting girls’ education requires innovative solutions, urging all stakeholders to play their roles as expected in helping to promote girls’ education in the country.
Ms Oppong-Yeboah said although UNESCO’s 2020 Gender Report indicates that girls’ enrollment in school has increased steadily over time, there is still great gender disparity in higher levels of education, especially in subjects related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
She was of the view that access is only the first step towards transforming gender structures in the formal education system in the country, and that “we need to improve retention and performance.”
For her, “there is a huge negative change in gender parity moving from secondary to tertiary enrollment.”
By Benedicta Gyimaah Folley
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Manhyia would serve as Ghana’s unifying force …Otumfuo assures on commemoration of 27 years on the Golden Stool
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, last Friday celebrated his 27th enstoolment with a colourful and culture-rich ceremony at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, drawing a distinguished gathering of dignitaries from across Ghana and beyond.
Clad in splendid kente and adorned in rich traditional regalia, the dignitaries added colour and elegance to the occasion, as the palace grounds came alive with a vibrant display of Ghanaian culture.
Traditional drumming, dancing and symbolic rites underscored the deep-rooted heritage of the Ashanti Kingdom, captivating guests and reaffirming the value of tradition in modern society.
Speaking at a high-level Executive Gala organised by the Diaspora Affairs Office of the Office of the President in strategic partnership with the E ON 3 Group, the ‘World-Meets-in-Ghana’ gala, the Asantehene urged Ghanaians to guard against the divisive tendencies of partisan politics.
The event was to honour the Asantehene’s nearly three-decade reign under the theme ‘Advancing Peace and Sustainable Economic Development through Royal Vision’.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II noted that such attitudes threatened the country’s long-standing values of unity, civility and brotherliness.
He assured that Manhyia would continue to serve as a unifying force for the nation.
The celebration also featured the presentation of commemorative gold coins to notable national leaders, including the President, John Dramani Mahama, former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as well as Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, a former Vice President in recognition of their contributions to peace and national development.
By Spectator Reporter
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Energy Minister announces full restoration of power generation units after major grid disruption
Energy Minister, John Jinapor has announced that all power generation units affected by the recent national grid disruption have been fully restored and are back in service.
According to the Minister on social media, engineers, technicians and emergency response teams worked continuously to restore electricity supply and stabilise the national grid after the incident caused major challenges within the power sector.
In a statement, the Minister praised the efforts of personnel from the Ghana Grid Company Limited, Volta River Authority and Electricity Company of Ghana for their commitment and coordination during the emergency.
“Mission accomplished. All generation units are now back in service,” the Minister stated.
He explained that despite the scale of the disruption, technical teams worked around the clock to restore power and secure stability within the system.
“Through their tireless work, discipline, and commitment to country, power has been restored and system stability secured,” he said.
The Minister further expressed appreciation to the leadership and staff of GRIDCo, VRA, ECG and other supporting agencies for their collective response to the crisis.
According to him, the successful restoration of the system demonstrates the resilience and capability of Ghanaian professionals in times of national difficulty.
“This moment shows that even under pressure, Ghana can rely on the strength and skill of its people,” he added.
The Minister offered prayers for the country’s energy sector and the engineers who led the restoration efforts.
“May God bless our engineers, our energy sector, and our nation,” he stated.
By: Jacob Aggrey
