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Effective implementation of Affirmative Action Law key to gender equality — Convenor
Mrs Sheila Minkah-Premo, Convenor of the Affirmative Action Law Coalition, has stressed that the effective implementation of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121), is critical to achieving genuine gender equality in Ghana.
She said while the passage of the law in July 2024 was a landmark achievement after more than a decade of advocacy, its true impact would depend on how well institutions, policymakers, and society commit to its enforcement.
“The law itself will not change the position of women unless we take deliberate steps to ensure that it is fully implemented. By 2026, the law requires that women hold at least 30 per cent of positions in governance and decision-making, and this target must not be taken lightly,” Mrs Minkah-Premo stated.
Mrs Minkah-Premo was speaking at the opening of a two-day stakeholder workshop on family law reform in Accra, organised by the Initiative for Gender Equality and Development in Africa (IGED-Africa) in collaboration with the Solidarity of African Women’s Rights (SOAWR) Coalition hosted by Equality Now.
The stakeholder workshop, which runs from September 10 to 11, 2025, has brought together civil society actors, legal experts, and policymakers to deepen advocacy on Ghana’s family law reform agenda.
It seeks to accelerate progress on pending legislations such as the Property Rights of Spouses Bill and the Interstate Succession Bill, which have faced years of delays in Parliament despite their potential to safeguard women’s economic and social rights.
Part of wider efforts to consolidate gender equality gains across Africa, the outcomes of the workshop would contribute to regional strategies aimed at tackling persistent barriers to women’s rights and representation.
Mrs Minkah-Premo, who has been involved in the drafting and advocacy of the Affirmative Action Law, said the Act provided a legal framework to progressively increase women’s participation in governance – 30 percent by 2026, 35 percent by 2028, and 50 percent by 2034.
It also establishes a Gender Equity Committee to oversee compliance and issue certificates to institutions that meet set targets.
However, she warned that implementation challenges were already evident, and that, “We are seeing early signs of non-compliance in presidential appointments, funding gaps for the Gender Equity Committee, and delays in setting up the structures needed to make the law effective. These must be urgently addressed,” she said.
The Convener highlighted that cultural barriers, entrenched stereotypes, and a patriarchal political system continued to undermine women’s representation.
She noted that despite women making up more than 50 per cent of Ghana’s population, their presence in Parliament stood at only 14.8 per cent, with just 41 female MPs out of 276.
She added that the Affirmative Action law was designed not only to meet constitutional requirements but also to align Ghana with its international obligations, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Maputo Protocol, and the Beijing Platform for Action.
Mrs Minkah-Premo urged stakeholders to keep pushing for results, and that “The law is only as strong as the people who defend it. It is up to all of us, civil society, policymakers, and citizens, to hold duty bearers accountable so that gender equality moves from paper to practice.”
Participants emphasised that reforming family laws alongside enforcing the Affirmative Action Act would provide stronger protection for women’s rights and create a more inclusive governance system.
They agreed that coalition-building, public education, and consistent monitoring would be critical in sustaining advocacy and ensuring accountability.
—GNA
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Ahyiresu and Abofrem, two quiet communities in the Atwima Mponua District, have been shaken to the core by a chilling midnight drama that reads like a nightmare.
A pastor and a young mother stand accused of attempting to bury a five‑month‑old baby girl alive, a crime that has ignited outrage and disbelief across the township.
According to police, Apostle Richmond Akwasi Frimpong, 36, Head Pastor of the Anointed Grace Prayer Ministry at Kuffour Camp, conspired with his uncle Emmanuel Appiah, 53, and the child’s mother, 23‑year‑old Beatrice Agyapomaa, to dispose of the infant, Anaya Achiaa, under the cover of darkness.
A fourth suspect, Emmanuel Donkor, remains on the run.
The suspects were caught near a refuse dump around 10 pm on April 9, 2026, after a vigilant resident, Akwasi Twezor, noticed their suspicious movements.
When confronted, they claimed the child was already dead and had palace approval for burial. But Twezor’s instincts proved right—the baby was still alive, gasping faintly for breath.
Chief Linguist, Nana Yaw Badu, later confirmed that Frimpong had misled him earlier in the evening, securing permission for burial by falsely declaring the child dead.
The infant was rushed to the Abofrem Clinic, where she is now responding well to treatment. Police described her as “very beautiful.”
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Evelyn Yitamkey, Commander of DOVVSU in Bibiani, confirmed that the suspects have been provisionally charged.
Frimpong faces attempted murder and conspiracy charges, while Agyapomaa and Appiah are charged with conspiracy and abetment.
They were remanded by the Bibiani Circuit Court, presided over by Judge Frank Asiedu Nimako, to assist investigations.
The docket has been forwarded to the Attorney General’s Department for advice, ASP Yitamkey indicated.
The attempted crime has provoked fury among residents, many suspecting ritual motives aimed at bolstering the pastor’s influence.
Crowds attempted to attack the suspects outside court, but police intervention prevented mob justice.
The Assembly Member for Ahyiresu, Yusuf Suleiman, has assured residents that justice will be pursued swiftly.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
The forecourt of the African University of Communications and Business (AUCB) in Accra came alive on Friday with colour, creativity and innovation, as Level 300 students transformed the space into a lively exhibition of ideas.
Under the theme “Building meaningful brands beyond the logo,” the students invited patrons into a world where ordinary products were reimagined through storytelling, design and purpose.
From scented candles to innovative food concepts, each stand told a unique story, one that went beyond aesthetics to capture identity, value and human connection.
For many of the students, the event was more than just an academic exercise; it was a moment to dream out loud.
Guided by their lecturer, Peter Wonders, they explored what it truly means to build a brand in today’s competitive world where trust, consistency and experience matter just as much as logos and slogans.
Chairman of the occasion, Nana Kum Gyata VI, in his remarks said a brand is what people say about you when you are not present.
At the end of the presentations, awards were presented to deserving groups with Vida Nyaneba emerging as the overall best branding student.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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