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‘Create family size you can cater for’
A member of staff of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Accra, Mr Abass Braimah, has charged men to create family sizes they could easily cater for to avoid raising irresponsible children in society.
He explained that parents had the task of supporting their wards physically, psychologically and mentally and, therefore, would need to have the right number of children they could care for in their homes.
He said that even though some religions permitted men to marry more than one woman, the same God would hold every man who was unable to cater for his children responsible for producing more children he could contain.
Mr Braimah was speaking at the National launch of the Child Marriage Campaign at Dondoli in the Upper West Region. The campaign which was at the behest of the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) with support from the UNFPA sought to enhance mechanisms for reporting child marriage and other abuse cases against children to the appropriate authorities for redress.
“As a Muslim, even though I am entitled to more than a wife, my busy schedule at work will not enable me cater for many children than I have at the moment; and it is not just about money but being able to thoroughly monitor and discipline them so that they grow up as responsible adults”, he said.
Mr. Braimah said that many children these days grew up in families where some parents were not aware of their daily movement as a result of raising money to cater for the home stressing that it was advisable to stick to a smaller family size.
“Sometimes social vices among children occur when a man marries more than one woman and has more children he can not cater for that is why the Holy Quran enjoins men to only go in for those additional wives when they are sure they would be able to treat all of them equal with love and do justice to each of them”, he said.
He emphasised that having a sizeable number of children helped to better care for their needs and ensure that they were properly raised.
“With a small family size, you can easily teach the children your religion, how to make supplication and how to even take care of their personal hygiene and remain responsible”, he said.
Touching on the issue of child marriage, Mr Braimah stated that when people gave birth to a lot of children than they could cater for in the midst of extreme poverty, the tendency of giving some of the girls out for early marriage was high.
He again said that because the children were many and were not properly catered for, some of them could indulge in early sex for money to purchase their basic needs or simply follow bad friends to live promiscuous life which could result in teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.
Mr Braimah advised men to live within their means and create family sizes they could cater for, not just financially but psychologically and emotionally as well.
From Lydia Darlington Fordjour, Dondoli
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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.
