News
YOVI holds networking meeting for 120 women in agro-sector
Participants at the meeting
The Youth Development and Voice Initiative (YOVI), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has held a meeting to empower smallholder women aggregators and agro-processors in the maize, rice, groundnut, and shea value chains.
The two-day meeting, held in collaboration with governmental bodies, industry experts, and civil society organisations, convened 120 women beneficiaries alongside key stakeholders and representatives from the Sagnarigu Municipal and Nanton District of the Northern Region.
This was contained in a YOVI statement signed by Mr Hussein Rahman, its Executive Director, and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Tamale on Thursday.
The statement said, “The meeting, which was held on January 3-4, marks an important achievement as the fourth milestone since the inception of the Increasing Competitiveness of Smallholder Women Aggregators and Processors along the maize, rice, groundnut and Shea value chains for increased prosperity project in October 2023.
The project, which is supported by the United States Agency for International Development, (USAID) under the Ghana Trade and Investment Activity (GTIA) through the Nathan Associates, was being implemented in selected communities in the Sagnarigu Municipality and the Nanton District.
The statement said the primary objective of the meeting was to strengthen networks between women in agricultural value chains and financial service providers, input suppliers, reliable markets, and supporting government institutions.
It said, “Key achievements from this meeting include commitments from government representatives to support women in agro-processing, emphasising gender equality and economic empowerment.”
It said, “In addition, insights shared regarding product certification and quality standards by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) were highlighted as crucial for product credibility and consumer confidence.”
It said a significant milestone of the meeting was the registration of 20 participants, who expressed keen interest in formalising their small businesses.
The statement said representatives from restaurants and financial institutions pledged their support for collaborative effort to create enhanced market access opportunities for women entrepreneurs.
It said YOVI remained committed to fostering growth and empowerment within the agricultural sector, aiming to provide continued support and platforms for the advancement of women in agro-processing.
—GNA
Hot!
Focus on more pressing issues like Galamsey, not hate speech – Ellen Ama Daaku to Mahama
An aide to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia,Ellen Ama Daaku has advised President John Dramani Mahama to shift his attention from social media hate speech to more urgent national issues such as illegal mining.
Speaking in an interview, she noted that the President’s recent comments about tracking the IP addresses of people who spread hate speech were unnecessary.
According to her, President Mahama must first define what he considers to be hate speech before seeking to punish people for it.
Ms. Daaku argued that the President himself had benefitted from hate speech and social media attacks in the past when he was in opposition.
She said even during his time in government, he described his opponents and their tribesmen in unpalatable terms, which later drew complaints from former President Nana Akufo-Addo to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
She stressed that harsh criticism of leaders on social media should not automatically be considered hate speech, adding that former leaders, including former President Nana Akufo-Addo had all been subjected to it.
“He is only feeling what Nana Akufo-Addo went through for eight years,” she remarked.
While acknowledging the need to regulate misconduct online, Ms. Daaku insisted that going after social media activists should not be a priority.
She noted that many political activists, including herself, had been insulted and attacked online but never called for arrests.
She concluded that President Mahama should focus his energy on solving pressing problems such as galamsey and the economy instead of concentrating on critics on social media.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
Government to spend GH¢13.9 billion on infrastructure in 2025 – Deputy Finance Minister
Government will commit GH¢13.9 billion in 2025 to priority infrastructure projects under its “Big Push” initiative, with the amount projected to rise to GH¢21.2 billion by 2028, Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Ampem Nyarko has announced.
According to him, the funds will be drawn mainly from petroleum revenues under the Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA) and mineral royalties.
He indicated that the projects will focus on roads, transport, energy, power generation, digital infrastructure, and urban and rural development.
Mr. Ampem described the “Big Push” as an economic reset powered by a US$10 billion programme, stressing that the country’s infrastructure needs remain urgent.
He explained that Ghana requires US$37 billion every year for the next 30 years to meet development goals across sectors. Maintaining existing infrastructure alone, he added, will cost an extra US$8 billion annually.
The Deputy Minister drew attention to Ghana’s score of 47 out of 100 on the Global Infrastructure Hub index, which is below the average for lower-middle-income countries.
He argued that this was a sign of chronic underinvestment in critical sectors.
“Our cities need better transport. Our industries require dependable energy. Our farmers need modern irrigation. And our youth demand digital highways for the future,” he emphasized.
Mr. Ampem highlighted the limits of government spending, pointing out that the public purse cannot meet the demands alone. He stressed that Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are therefore indispensable.
He revealed that the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) will set up Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) to attract private capital, blended finance, and international development funding.
The Deputy Minister urged both local and international investors to explore opportunities in transport, energy, digital infrastructure, and urban development, describing them as “vast and transformative.”
He assured that the framework is in place, the vision is clear, and the government’s commitment under President Mahama’s leadership remains firm.
Mr. Ampem called for strong collaboration between government and the private sector, noting that sustainable infrastructure transformation will require a united effort.
The announcement was made at the KPMG Infrastructure Roadshow in Accra, held under the theme “Unlocking Ghana’s Public-Private Partnership Potential: Bridging Reform and Results”.
The event brought together policymakers, investors, engineers, and business leaders to explore strategies for accelerating infrastructure development.
By: Jacob Aggrey
