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Children’s Parliament marks World Children’s Day in Accra
The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has marked this year’s World Children’s Day with the seventh sitting of the National Children’s Parliament at the African Trade House in Accra.
The event, held on Thursday, November 20, 2025, brought together child parliamentarians from across the country to discuss issues affecting children’s growth, learning and protection.
This year’s celebration was on the theme My Day, My Right: Investing in Early Childhood, a National Priority. The theme underscored the importance of stronger national investment in the early years, which experts describe as the most crucial stage of a child’s development.
The Gender Minister, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey in her address noted that the day held special meaning for all who believed in the potential of Ghanaian children.
She explained that the Children’s Parliament had strengthened national commitment to ensuring that children’s voices were valued and considered in policymaking.
She indicated that children were not passive observers but active partners in shaping the future, and she described the platform as a transformative space that taught leadership and civic responsibility.
The Minister emphasised that the early years, from pregnancy to age eight, formed the foundation for how children learned, thought and related with others.
She referenced global research which showed that investments in early childhood delivered the highest returns to society through improved education outcomes, stronger economic growth and reduced inequalities.
She stressed that Ghana could not afford to miss the opportunity to give every child a strong start in life.
She revealed that the Ministry, with support from UNICEF and other development partners, was developing a national parenting strategy aimed at equipping caregivers with the tools needed to raise confident and emotionally secure children.
She also mentioned ongoing efforts to strengthen early childhood education infrastructure, promote nutrition and breastfeeding, expand access to health services and reinforce child protection systems against violence and neglect.
The Minister reaffirmed the holistic nature of child development, noting that health, nutrition, education, play and safety were inseparable.
She expressed pride in the contributions of the child parliamentarians and indicated that their participation reminded adults that the future must be co-designed with the children who would live in it.
She urged families, community leaders, religious institutions and all partners to support national efforts to safeguard children’s rights.
The Chief Director of the Ministry, Dr.Afisah Zakaria welcomed participants to the commemoration and highlighted that the theme reflected the need to listen to, empower and respect children from their earliest years.
She explained that Ghana’s newly enacted Early Childhood Care and Development policy provided a strong framework for supporting children’s holistic growth, including health, nutrition, safe environments and learning opportunities.
She urged policymakers, educators, families and partners to work collectively to ensure that every child was given the right conditions to thrive.
She pointed out that protecting children’s rights and providing nurturing early environments were essential for building a fair and prosperous nation.
She expressed hope that discussions from the Children’s Parliament would help translate national vision into practical action across communities.
The Chief Director extended best wishes to all children in Ghana and around the world and commended them for their role in shaping the country’s future.
The Country Director of Plan International Ghana, Constant Tchona, stated that World Children’s Day provided a platform to amplify key child rights, including health, education, protection and participation.
He observed that the early years formed the base of a child’s future growth and explained that strong foundations supported cognitive development, health, nutrition and the ability to learn through play.
He praised the Children’s Parliament for highlighting issues affecting their communities and for proposing practical solutions to national actors.
He stressed that investing in children was the most effective way to invest in national development and warned that failure to invest today would weaken the country’s future.
He pledged Plan International’s continued support towards the implementation of the national early childhood development policy and encouraged other development partners to do the same.
He commended Beatrice, one of the child parliamentarians, for her confidence and clarity, describing her as an example of the agency and empowerment the organisation aimed to promote, especially for girls.
The event brought together government officials, development partners, educators, caregivers, civil society organisations and children.
It provided a platform for young people to share their concerns, propose reforms and advocate for improved learning and protection systems.
By: Jacob Aggrey
A 30-year-old man has been sentenced to 25 years imprisonment with hard labour by the Bekwai Circuit Court for his role in a 2022 robbery at a mining site at Manso Akwasiso in the Ashanti South Region.
The convict, Dominic Ofori, also known as Fanta, was arrested on 16th February 2026 after years on the run. He pleaded guilty before the Bekwai Circuit Court to robbery contrary to Section 149 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 Act 29, and was accordingly sentenced to 25 years imprisonment with hard labour.
On March 20, 2022, the Manso Adubia District Police received intelligence that a group of armed men from Manso Abodom were planning to attack a mining site at Manso Akwasiso to rob the owner of gold concentrate. Acting on the information, police mounted a coordinated operation and laid an ambush at the site.
At about 5:30 pm the same day, four-armed men arrived at the site, fired indiscriminately, and robbed the miners of their gold concentrate. The police team on surveillance intervened, resulting in an exchange of gunfire.
Three of the suspects, Abu Abubakar, Musah Latif, and Gideon Takyi, sustained gunshot wounds and were pronounced dead on arrival at St Martins Catholic Hospital at Agroyesum. Dominic Ofori escaped at the time but was later arrested and put before the court.
The Ashanti South Regional Police Command has assured the public of its continued commitment to combating violent crimes and bringing offenders to justice.
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has arrested 45-year-old Isaac Boafo, also known as “Duabo King,” for allegedly publishing false news intended to cause fear and panic.
Police said the arrest follows a viral TikTok video in which Boafo claimed that four officers at the Central Police Station in Kumasi engaged in inappropriate conduct with commercial sex workers during night patrols in Asafo.
Officers from the Police Intelligence Directorate (Ashanti Region) apprehended Boafo after receiving intelligence about the video.
During questioning, he admitted to creating the video to attract views and engagement online, and acknowledged that he could not prove the allegations.
Boafo also admitted making comments about the President of the Republic for content purposes and could not defend those statements.
He has been formally charged and is in detention as investigations continue.
The Ashanti Regional Police have warned the public against publishing or sharing false information on social media, noting that such acts can cause fear, panic, and damage reputations.
They said anyone found engaging in similar conduct will face legal action.
By: Jacob Aggrey
