News
AGRA advocates fund to support women in agribusiness.
Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), has called on African governments to create a fund to support women small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) in agribusiness to thrive in this period of CoVID-19.
According to AGRA, the creation of a fund by the respective African governments had become necessary to protect the businesses of women SMEs on the continent from collapse.
AGRA in a statement titled, ‘COVID-19 and Women in Agriculture Call to Action’, copied to the Ghanaian Times said, “Women agribusinesses are on the verge of collapse due to crippling cash flow and liquidity challenges, resulting from disruption in their operations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“AGRA, in consultation with continental partners and women agriprenuers networks, calls on governments in Africa, the development community, and the private sector, to urgently deploy resources to assist women access resources necessary to conduct agricultural activities, cushions their small businesses to avoid collapse,” the statement added.
AGRA indicated that women constituted nearly 50 per cent of agricultural workforce and own one third of SMEs on the continent, and were a key pillar of Africa’s food systems.
“The inability of women to freely access resources required to conduct primary production activities, find flexible financing to keep their SMEs afloat or earn wage income in rural markets will hinder food security and wellbeing of rural families,” the statement said.
Small women businesses were going through challenges such as loss of sales revenue, cancellations of supply contracts, spread of virus among workers, the statement said, pointing out that, “Women SMEs are particularly vulnerable to these shocks due to their low level of capitalisation resulting from limited access to long term financing.”
The statement stressed that with low saving capabilities, women small holders lacked capital reserves to stockpile agricultural inputs, such as seeds, fertilisers and pesticides.
“It is therefore crucial to assist women access inputs, farm labour, mechanisation and advisory services to help them weather the immediate effects of this crisis.”
Established in 2006, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) is an African-led and Africa-based institution that puts smallholder farmers at the centre of the continent’s growing economy by transforming agriculture from a solitary struggle to survive into farming as a business that thrives.
BY KINGSLEY ASARE
News
Upper West Regional Police Command secures conviction against notorious robbers
The Upper West Regional Police Command is pleased to announce the conviction and sentencing of Abdulai Ibrahim alias Baba, 34 (Driver Mate) and Abdulai Kipo, 36 (Butcher), for their involvement in conspiracy to commit crimes to wit robbery and robbery.
The duo were found guilty and sentenced to 28 and 18 years imprisonment in Hard Labour, respectively.
The accused persons were implicated in a series of robberies across the Napogbakole, Danko, SSNIT, and Konta areas of the Wa Municipality.
Their arrest and conviction were made possible through intelligence-led investigations and meticulous gathering of evidence by the Regional Police Intelligence Directorate.
The conviction and sentencing were carried out at the Wa Circuit Court, presided over by His Honour Jonathan Avoogo.
The court’s verdict underscores the Command’s commitment to ensuring justice and safety in the region.
The Upper West Regional Police Command reaffirms its determination to make the region safe for peaceful coexistence and will continue to work tirelessly to combat crime and protect its residents.
News
Police arrest two suspects for possession of suspected narcotic substance at Ayi Mensah
The Ghana Police Service has arrested two suspects for possession of eleven (11) large compressed sacks of a substance suspected to be narcotics at Ayi Mensah in the Greater Accra Region.
The suspects, Mathew Narkotey and Augustine Teye, were arrested by a team from the National Operations Department (NOD) on June 7, 2025 during routine patrols. The suspects were onboard a Mazda pick-up truck with registration number GT 3490-P when a search uncovered the suspected narcotic substance concealed in the vehicle.
The vehicle and the suspected substances have been impounded and are currently secured at the Joint Operations Centre for evidential purposes.
Both suspects are in police custody assisting with investigations, while efforts are underway to arrest one Martey, named by the suspects as the intended recipient of the consignment.
