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Allow women to own farmlands in the north – ActionAid
The Upper West Regional Programmes Manager of ActionAid, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in the country, Ms Terence Tienaah has appealed to chiefs and land owners in the region to allow women own lands for sustainable agriculture.
She said that women’s lack of control and ownership over land was impeding their efforts in attaining substantive productivity in agriculture.
“Elsewhere in this country where women have been allowed to own lands, we are seeing the impact they are making in agriculture, women can do well when they are empowered in this regard”, she said.
Ms Tienaah was speaking on the sidelines of a Stakeholders Consultative Meeting on the implementation of a climate smart project by the NGO christened “Northern Ghana Integrated Development Project (NGIDP).
The 48 months’ project which commenced in 2019 in 15 districts in the Upper West, Upper East, Savannah and Northern regions of Ghana sought to among other things, promote opportunities for sustainable agriculture, social protection and decent work in the agrarian sector.
Ms Tienaah said that there had been a lot of improvement with regard to access to land by women in northern Ghana due to increased advocacy but stated sadly that “the lands which were given to them were not permanent”.
“A woman is given a land and in the next farming season or two when the land has become fertile, the land is taken away from her and she is given another fallow one; if this continues the woman is unable to undertake production of cash crops because those ones take time to mature but they are the ones that bring in the much needed income”, she stressed.
She said ecological farming which was sustainable and favourable in addressing climate change was low among smallholder women farmers in the region due to ownership of land.
“So we see a lot of women in agriculture but most of them are working on their husbands’ farms, only a few of them can boast of lands that belong to them and are able to practise ecological farming and we need this narrative to change”, she said.
The Programmes Manager said they were working as an organisation in collaboration with local actors such as the Department of Agriculture of the various Dstrict and Nunicipal Assemblies as well as civil society organisations to reach out to as many smallholder women farmers as possible to support them in their vocation.
“We are not only looking at cultivation; we are also supporting women along the agriculture value chain by installing equipment for women who were into processing of Shea fruits to aid their work”, she said.
She used the opportunity to call on beneficiary communities of the intervention in the Upper West Region to maintain the pieces of equipment to ensure their longevity and serve the purpose for which they were provided.
From Lydia Darlington Fordjour, Wa
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Speaker of Parliament inaugurates open Parliament Steering Committee, launches action plan
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has launched the Open Parliament Steering Committee and the Open Parliament Action Plan.
The ceremony was under the theme “Achieving Gender Equality: Action by Action.”
The Speaker highlighted the critical role Parliament plays in translating the will of the people into inclusive legislation, responsive policies, and accountable governance.
“The International Day of Parliamentarianism is worth celebrating, as it offers an opportunity not only to recognise and promote achievements in strengthening democratic governance, but also to pause and reflect on the remaining gaps in institutionalising parliamentary democracy,” he said.
He noted that the event was scheduled to coincide with the International Day of Parliamentarianism to reinforce the importance of open and inclusive governance.
The Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, stated that the International Day of Parliamentarianism is intended to recognise the vital role Parliaments play globally as pillars of democratic governance.
He noted that this marks the first time Ghana is formally observing the day.
“The gravity of our observance is further accentuated as we convene to witness the launch of the Open Parliament Action Plan by the Open Government Partnership Caucus,” he said.
Delivering a statement on behalf of the Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, the Deputy Minority Leader, Patricia Appiagyei, described the Open Parliament Action Plan as a transformative initiative aimed at strengthening the relationship between Parliament and the public.
She said the plan represents a bold commitment to making Parliament more transparent, accessible, and responsive to the needs of Ghanaians.
The Clerk to Parliament, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, described the launch as a key milestone in the effort to build a citizen-focused and accountable Parliament.
He added that the International Day of Parliamentarianism is a call to action to recommit to the highest standards of public service and democratic accountability.
The inauguration was attended by a wide range of stakeholders, including the Majority and Minority Members of Parliament, members of the Open Parliament Steering Committee, the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Caucus, Parliamentary Network Africa, representatives from civil society organisations, members of the diplomatic corps, traditional and religious leaders, student bodies, the Parliamentary Press Corps, and other media partners.
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NACOC declares drug menace a national emergency
The Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Interior has paid a working visit to the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) to engage with its leadership and assess operational challenges hampering the fight against illicit drugs.
In a detailed presentation, Dr. Basha Ligbi, Head of the Commission’s Research Bureau, highlighted critical setbacks including broken body scanners at airport terminals, inadequate office infrastructure, overcrowded detention facilities, and deteriorating vehicles.
He also called for the Commission’s headquarters to be reclassified as a security zone, citing growing security risks due to private encroachment and nearby high-rise developments.
Director General of NACOC, Brigadier General Maxwell Obiba Mantey, described the escalating drug trade as a national emergency, warning that drug barons now rival armed robbers in threat level and are gaining influence at the highest levels.
He appealed for stronger institutional support and morale-boosting interventions to preserve the integrity of NACOC officers.
Chairman of the Committee and MP for Builsa North, James Agalga, assured the Commission of the Committee’s commitment to escalate the concerns to Parliament and engage key justice sector stakeholders to fast-track reforms in support of NACOC’s mandate.
