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ECOWAS to roll out Gender Equality Seal across institutions next year
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The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is to roll out the Gender Equality Seal for Public Institutions (GES-PI) initiative next year as part of intensified efforts to strengthen gender equality across the sub-region.
The initiative is expected to help public institutions under ECOWAS strengthen gender mainstreaming by assessing their performance against internationally recognised standards and implementing reforms that promote gender-responsive governance.
It is being implemented in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), with the goal of attaining the highest “Gold Seal” certification.
The Director of the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (EGDC), Sandra Oulaté Fattoh, disclosed this yesterday at the opening of the fourth and final regional planning meeting in Accra to finalise a comprehensive action plan for implementation across all ECOWAS institutions.
The meeting brought together all directorates and specialised institutions of the Commission, including the ECOWAS Parliament, the Community Court of Justice, the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) and the West African Health Organisation (WAHO).
It was to review and validate evidence gathered against the programme’s benchmarks and finalising ECOWAS’ self-assessment ahead of the implementation phase.
According to Ms Oulaté Fattoh, the initiative would assess gender equality within the Commission’s own structures, including recruitment, leadership, career progression and staff representation, to ensure the institution leads by example.
“We need to practise better what we are preaching. We implement programmes across the ECOWAS region, but within the institution we need to take a closer look at gender equality,” she said.
The framework, she explained, would examine whether women had equal access to employment opportunities and leadership positions and whether institutional systems promoted fairness, equal opportunity and shared responsibility.
“The Commission must serve as a model so that when we engage our member states on gender equality, we can point to our own institution as an example. We must practise what we preach,” she stressed.
On Ghana’s role, Ms Oulaté Fattoh commended the country for providing leadership in advancing gender equality initiatives within the region, describing it as a model of effective inter-ministerial collaboration.
She noted that Ghana’s selection to host several regional gender meetings reflected its leadership on gender issues and its role as the African Union’s gender champion.
She also praised Ghana’s long-standing implementation of ECOWAS programmes on obstetric fistula, scholarships for girls pursuing technical education and women’s agricultural empowerment.
Responding to concerns that gender equality initiatives focused disproportionately on women, Ms Oulaté Fattoh said the emphasis reflected persistent inequalities that continued to disadvantage women across West Africa.
“We are not doing well on the status of women in our region and we need to acknowledge that. We must first take deliberate steps to close those gaps before we can address other concerns,” she said.
She explained that while some ECOWAS initiatives already included boys and men, targeted interventions remained necessary to improve women’s participation in education, employment and leadership, particularly in technical and decision-making fields.
The Acting Secretary-General of the ECOWAS Commission, Muazu Umaru, said the meeting would review progress made under the Gender Equality Seal framework and agree on practical measures to support its full operationalisation across the Commission.
The GES-PI is anchored on five pillars: planning and management for gender equality, gender equality capacity, an enabling workplace environment, participation and accountability, and policy results and impact.
BY ABIGAIL ANNOH
The Accra Regional Police Command has arrested former professional boxer Michael Ayitey Okai, popularly known as “Ayitey Powers,” over an alleged threat of death against the Director-General of the National Sports Authority, Yaw Ampofo.
According to the Police, the 46-year-old former boxer was arrested on Monday, August 24, 2026, in connection with the alleged threat.
The Police said the arrest followed a video circulating on social media in which Ayitey Powers is alleged to have issued the threat against Mr Ampofo.
He is currently in Police custody and is assisting with investigations.
The Accra Regional Police Command said investigations are ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged threat and determine the appropriate action to be taken in accordance with the law.
The Command has urged the public to refrain from sharing unverified information about the matter while the investigation continues.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Minority Leader in Parliament Alexander Afenyo Markin has sued the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, and Multimedia Group Limited over alleged defamatory comments made against him on the Newsfile programme.
In a writ filed at the High Court in Accra, Mr Afenyo Markin is seeking GH¢15 million in damages, an apology and retraction of the statements, among other reliefs.
The suit follows comments allegedly made by Mr Gyamfi during the Saturday, August 22, 2026 edition of Newsfile, hosted by Samson Lardy Anyenini.
According to the statement of claim, Mr Gyamfi described Mr Afenyo Markin as an “extortionist” while responding to a question about GoldBod’s reported profits and its position on losses arising from its operations.
The plaintiff claims that Mr Gyamfi repeated the allegation when the host sought clarification on whether he stood by the description.
Mr Afenyo Markin further claims that Mr Gyamfi challenged him to sue him and insisted that the allegation was true.
The plaintiff argues that the statements created the impression that he engages in extortion, uses his political influence to put improper pressure on public institutions and officials, and conducts himself in a manner inconsistent with the standards expected of a lawyer and public office holder.
He denies the allegations and maintains that he is not an extortionist and has never engaged in the conduct alleged by Mr Gyamfi.
The Minority Leader also argues that the comments were made maliciously and were presented as facts without evidence being disclosed.
He claims the statements have damaged his reputation, professional standing and public image, particularly because of his position as a senior political figure and legal practitioner.
The suit also names Multimedia Group Limited as a defendant because, according to the plaintiff, the alleged defamatory comments were broadcast through JoyNews and subsequently circulated on social media platforms, including X, Facebook and YouTube.
Mr Afenyo Markin claims Multimedia failed to stop the comments or deactivate Mr Gyamfi’s microphone after the allegations were made.
He is therefore asking the court to award him general, aggravated and exemplary damages, as well as GH¢15 million in compensation and legal costs.
He is also seeking an order compelling the defendants to issue a full, unconditional and unequivocal retraction and public apology.
The plaintiff wants the apology and retraction to be given similar prominence and reach as the original publication, including through JoyNews and the social media platforms where the comments were disseminated.
He is further seeking a permanent injunction preventing the defendants from repeating the alleged defamatory statements or words with a similar meaning.
The writ requires the defendants to enter an appearance within eight days after being served.
It warns that failure to do so could result in judgment being entered in their absence.
The case was filed by lawyer Paa Kwesi Abaidoo of Dehyena Chambers on behalf of Mr Afenyo Markin.
By: Jacob Aggrey
