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Actively involve the youth in decision-making – New Juaben MCE
Star Ghana Foundation Team in group picture with selected grant partners
The Municipal Chief Executive of the New Juaben Municipality (MCE), Mr Isaac Appaw-Gyasi has charged the Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to actively involve the youth in the decision-making process of the assembly.
According to him, it was essential for the assemblies to engage community members in the assemblies, especially the youth to allow them to have a say in shaping the future of their communities.
“Such community engagements would ensure that the ideas and opinions of residents are valued and that decisions are made in their best interest,” he stated, adding the youth were the heartbeat of the assemblies’ future and must be included in governance.
Mr Isaac Appaw-Gyasi made this statement at an inception meeting and training workshop organised by Star-Ghana Foundation with funding from the Botnor Foundation, to train four civil society organisations and youth groups who were selected to become grant partners in a project called “Our City Project” initiated by Star-Ghana.
The project which was part of a three-year programme dubbed “Action for the Youth Development” (AfYD) launched in April, 2023, would contribute to strengthening an enabling environment for youth inclusion and influence in governance as well as enable the youth to have access to quality public goods and services within the Koforidua city in the New Juaben Municipality.
The New Juaben Municipality was rated by the District league Table (DLT 2020) as one of the 10 least performing districts on governance with poor implementation of action plan for development and limited inclusion of the youth, hence was chosen for the project to enable them identify challenges and perform better.
The grant partners, including Divine Mother and Child Foundation, Bebia Be Ye Fine, Anchito Foundation for Education and Selfhelp and Youth Parliament were therefore selected as grant partners to be trained to build their capacity in monitoring and evaluation, safeguarding, gender and social inclusion among others to enable them to help in successful implementation of the project.
Mr Appaw-Gyasi stated that the youth’s active involvement in the activities of the assembly was not only desirable but essential, stating the need for the youth to develop interest in the assemblies programmes for enhanced service delivery across the sector.
“We have situations where the youth of the municipality do not show interest in what we do as an assembly with most of them staying aloof and would watch us from a distance to implement our programmes instead of being part of it,” he lamented.
He said that attitude does not augur well for development and encouraged them to bring their input in planning and budgetary engagements to ensure that programmes cater for community needs.
He said the training of the grant partners was apt and their involvement as stakeholders, by seeking their valuable expertise, opinions and ideas regarding the initiatives and ideal location for such projects, would ensure that project aligned with needs and aspirations of the people.
For her part, the Project Director for the AfYD, Dr Enerstina Tetteh said as part of the project, Star-Ghana Foundation engaged the National Youth Authority and planning officers of the Assembly to identify youth groups and later asked the groups to submit an expression of interest for the project, adding that the groups have been selected to enable the Foundation to engage them in a project development workshops.
“A bigger part of the grant goes to partners within the project site to implement project coming from them and we are having this workshop to enable the grant partners explain how they would implement their project as part of the Our City Project.”
She said a team of experts have helped the grant partners to shape their ideas into full proposals and added that the workshop would enable them to present the proposals to duty bearers to enable them craft their development to align with the initiatives of the young people in the assembly.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua
Firefighters from the Upper West Regional Command have responded to a vehicular incident involving a long vehicle carrying 35 Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBC totes) reportedly containing hydrogen peroxide at Goriyiri in the Nadowli-Kaleo District.
The five-member crew, led by ASTNO Balagee, reported to the scene where a fire and an explosion had reportedly occurred.
The firefighters assessed the scene, identified the chemical hazards and implemented appropriate response measures, bringing the situation under control.
The driver reportedly sustained severe chemical burns and was transported to the hospital for treatment.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Dr Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, spokesperson to NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has called on the government and Parliament to undertake major reforms in Ghana’s prison system, including the construction of a dedicated prison hospital and the introduction of regulated conjugal visits.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, Dr Boakye-Danquah shared Chairman Wontumi’s observations and recommendations following his remand on July 20, 2026.
According to the statement, Chairman Wontumi’s experience in prison has given him the opportunity to interact with prison officers and inmates and observe the challenges facing the Ghana Prisons Service.
The statement noted that the NPP chairman believes the correctional system must move beyond punishment to focus on rehabilitation, welfare and productivity.
One of his major concerns is the lack of dedicated, well-equipped prison hospitals, ambulances and standby generators in several prison facilities.
Dr Boakye-Danquah said Chairman Wontumi had raised concerns about the difficulties in providing medical care to seriously ill inmates, including those suffering from tuberculosis.
He is therefore calling for the construction of a modern prison hospital to serve facilities across the country. In the interim, he has proposed emergency arrangements with the 37 Military Hospital and the Police Hospital.
On the welfare of prison officers, Chairman Wontumi has urged the government to review their salaries, accommodation and conditions of service.
He has also called for proper classification of inmates, arguing that minor offenders should not be housed alongside armed robbery convicts and that persons facing trial for serious offences, including treason and terrorism, should be appropriately separated from other inmates.
The statement further highlighted concerns about the need for counselling and behavioural support for young inmates, particularly those serving sentences for defilement-related offences.
Chairman Wontumi has also called for a clear policy on the classification and management of LGBTQI+ inmates within the prison system.
On family relationships, he has proposed the creation of designated private areas where prisoners can receive visits from their spouses and children.
He believes regulated conjugal visits could help preserve marriages, reduce tension among inmates and support rehabilitation.
“The prisoner is the one in prison, not the children or spouse,” the statement noted, explaining his position on the need to protect family relationships during incarceration.
Chairman Wontumi has appealed to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to support prison farms with the necessary equipment to improve food production.
According to the statement, the Ghana Prisons Service has access to vast lands and skilled labour but faces a shortage of agricultural equipment, with only one tractor reportedly available for farming and garbage-related activities.
He has further proposed greater collaboration between prison authorities and the justice sector, suggesting that regional prison commanders should be included in relevant discussions because of their knowledge of prison conditions and inmate rehabilitation.
On infrastructure, Chairman Wontumi has called on the government and private sector to invest in modern prison facilities and factories, arguing that the system has seen limited structural improvements over the years.
Appeal to Parliament
Dr Boakye-Danquah said Chairman Wontumi had made a special appeal to Parliament to lead efforts towards comprehensive prison reform.
He is urging the Speaker of Parliament to initiate discussions on prison conditions as a human rights and national development issue.
He has also called on the Majority and Minority caucuses to work together to pass a new Prison Reform Act and approve funding for a dedicated prison hospital, ambulance services, standby generators and agricultural equipment.
Additionally, he wants the Parliamentary Select Committees on Defence and Interior, Health, and Food and Agriculture to undertake working visits to prisons across the country to assess conditions firsthand.
According to the statement, Chairman Wontumi believes bipartisan cooperation between the Majority and Minority caucuses is necessary to secure the legal and financial reforms required to improve the prison system.
He has called for broader prison reforms across Africa, expressing hope that Ghana could lead the continent in improving correctional facilities.
Reflecting on his experience since July 20, Chairman Wontumi stated: “At this experience since July 20th till date, prison doesn’t reform as it should be. I pray that the entire Africa will learn from Ghana.”
The statement added that Chairman Wontumi remained in high spirits.
By: Jacob Aggrey
