News
Don’t hesitate to sign the passed Affirmative Action Bill- Della Sowah tells President Akuffo Addo
Member of Parliament for the people of Kpando and former Deputy Minister for Gender Children and Social Protection, Della Sowah has urged the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to append his signature to the passed Affirmative Action Bill without hesitation.
According to her, this would be an expression of interest by the President in issues regarding women.
The Parliament of Ghana on Tuesday passed the Affirmative Action, Gender Equity Bill 2024 after many years of consideration.
The purpose of the bill is to effectively address social, cultural, economic and political gender imbalances in the country, stemming from historical discrimination against women and persistent patriarchal socio-cultural systems and norms.
The bill also seeks to ensure gender equity in both the public and private sector.
Speaking to a section of the Media Della Sowah said that she doesn’t want to see this passed Bill end up like the others the President refused to sign.
She called on all well-meaning gender activists to constantly knock on the doors of the president to ensure that he appended his signature to the passed bill.
According to her, regardless of the state of the bill, it is a step in the right direction in addressing issues of inequalities amongst different genders.
The Member of Parliament added that it would ensure that a significant number of women hold key positions in governance, public life, and decision-making, ultimately improving the lives of women across the country.
Della Sowah commended Parliament for the good work done in their quest to create a just society to liberate and elevate women to their rightful place in society.
She also thanked the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin for his guidance and role, adding that without him it wouldn’t have been possible.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The Majority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, says Parliament and government officials are working closely with authorities in the Netherlands following the detention of the Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North, Kwame Ohene Frimpong.
Speaking on the matter on Channel One news yesterday, Mr. Dafeamekpor disclosed that the MP was detained at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam on Sunday while travelling on a private trip.
According to him, Mr. Frimpong personally informed him about the incident around 5 a.m. on the day of the arrest.
He said the issue was immediately escalated to parliamentary leadership and other state officials for intervention.
Mr. Dafeamekpor explained that the Majority Leader, who was in transit at Heathrow Airport in London at the time, travelled to Schiphol to engage the detained MP and better understand the situation.
He added that the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ghana’s Ambassador to The Hague, the Attorney General, the Speaker of Parliament and the Clerk to Parliament had all been involved in efforts to address the matter.
According to him, a Ghanaian lawyer based in The Hague and qualified to practise there has also been engaged to represent the MP.
“The lawyer is dealing with the issues, but let me confirm that he is fine,” Mr. Dafeamekpor stated.
He noted that Parliament and the legal team were still waiting for official documents, including an authenticated copy of the arrest warrant and other details from Dutch prosecutors handling the matter.
The South Dayi MP therefore urged the media and the public to avoid speculation until all facts surrounding the case are confirmed.
“We want to urge all the media houses not to be throwing in things that have not been confirmed,” he said.
Mr. Dafeamekpor further explained that Parliament’s involvement was partly because the MP was travelling with a diplomatic passport.
He noted that extradition and detention cases involving political figures are not uncommon internationally, citing examples such as former Chilean leader Augusto Pinochet and Julian Assange.
According to him, authorities are hopeful the matter can be resolved for the MP to return to Ghana safely.
He appealed to the MP’s family, colleagues in Parliament and the public to remain calm while diplomatic and legal processes continue.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana Water Ltd has announced temporary water supply interruptions in several parts of western Accra following technical challenges at the Weija Water Treatment Plant.
In a press release issued on May 13, the company explained that the challenges had affected water production and distribution in some communities.
According to the management of the company, residents in areas including Dansoman, Mamprobi, Mataheko, Laterbiokorshie, Korle Bu, La Paz, MacCarthy Hill, Gbawe, Mallam, Tesano, Darkuman, North Kaneshie, Dome, Achimota, Anyaa and Ablekuma may experience low water pressure and erratic water supply.
Management noted that engineers and technical teams were working to fix the problem and restore normal water supply as soon as possible.
The company advised consumers to store water whenever there is flow in their communities in order to manage the temporary disruption.
It urged essential service providers to contact their Assembly Members or the Ghana Water Ltd Call Centre for assistance.
The company apologized to customers affected by the situation and appealed for calm and cooperation while efforts continue to resolve the challenge.
By: Jacob Aggrey
