News
Fairtrade Premium Committee inaugurates creche facility for Golden Exotic ladies
Fairtrade Premium Committee(FPC), a global movement which addresses the injustices of conventional trade by supporting small holder farmers and workers in plantations, has opened a creche facility for female workers of Golden Exotic Limited (GEL), Ghana’s largest exporter of Banana at Kasunya in the Shai-Osudoku area of the Greater Accra Region.
The inauguration is not only a fulfilment of a promise made to the workers but also fulfills an important tenet of the charter of GEL’s parent company, Compagnie Fruitiere.
It also fulfills GELs gender equity policy which aims to provide a congenial atmosphere at the workplace for all women.
The event, which was organized to coincide with International Women’s Day also marks a call to action to accelerate women’s equality in all spheres of human endeavor.
The GEL Fairtrade Officer, Mr. George Kporye in his address said the facility would give the workers peace of mind knowing that their children would be well taken care of whilst they are at work.
He said facilities in the creche include three spacious classrooms with modern teaching aids, washrooms, a sick bay and a breastfeeding room. It also includes teachers and nurses restrooms, headmistress office and a visitor’s waiting room, with an outdoor canteen to be added later this year.
The FPC has also provided a 30- seater bus exclusively for the use of the creche which will bring the mothers from their workplaces during break to the creche to feed their children and return them quickly to work.
He said recruitment of staff to man the facility is ongoing and should be completed soon for children to start school in May after all training, certifications and approvals have been done.
In his keynote address, the Managing Director of GEL, Mr. Benedict John Rich said an educationist has been recruited who shall be responsible for the daily running of the facility, three trained teachers in childhood education and three class attendants for the respective classes.
According to him, in 2017, GEL commissioned research into finding out the reasons for the low numbers of women employed in GEL.
Following the research, he said policies were developed to improve conditions of engagement and of work particularly for women after a consultative meeting.
He expressed confidence that the FPC would continue to apply the premium resources to similar projects in the future to enhance the general welfare and economic well- being of all GEL workers.
In a solidarity message, the Municipal Chief Executive for Shai-Osudoku, Hon. Fred Offei said the inauguration of the facility provides a significant opportunity for the women folk who would essentially remain in the organization and have access to reliable childcare for the business to benefit from a workforce that is focused, engaged and productive.
He said by providing access to childcare solutions, employers would eliminate a major source of stress, worry and distraction for their employees.
Around the globe, he said the lack of quality childcare has continued to be a major barrier to allowing parents, particularly women, to participate fully in the workforce.
He appreciated the effort of FPC at making childcare an important part of their employee effectiveness strategies
News
The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Addresses Parliament.
The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Emelia Arthur has disclosed that in 2021, Ghana was issued a yellow card by the European Union after being identified as a non-compliant third country in the fight against illegal fishing activities.
According to the Minister, the government, through the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, has engaged the European Union(EU) through the Ghana European Union dialogue, to address the concerns raised by the European Union(EU).
The engagement included the implementation of an action plan, periodic update report and validation exercises.
“We are happy to report that Ghana has made significant progress in resolving key concerns, primarily related to lapses in the regulatory framework, fisheries enforcement, and traceability,” she stated.
Also, she emphasized that a review of pending actions indicates that the enactment of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Bill, along with its accompanying regulations, remains critical to enhancing fisheries governance in Ghana.
She further informed the House that the Ministry has already submitted the Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Bill, 2025, to the House.
The bill was later referred to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Cocoa Affairs for consideration.
The Minister made this statement in response to a question posed by Member of Parliament for Atwima Mponua, Seth Osei-Akoto, regarding the immediate measures the ministry is implementing to sanitize Ghana’s fishing sector in the light of the European Union’s warning that Ghana could face a potential red card.
News
Gender Minister assesses leap cash grand payment
The Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has undertaken a monitoring visit to payment centers in the Greater Accra Region to observe the ongoing disbursement of cash grants under the 96th cycle of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Programme.
Her visit underscores the Ministry’s commitment to accountability, transparency, and the effective delivery of social protection interventions.
A total of 269 beneficiaries from communities such as Gbawe, Mandela, New Weija, Tetegu, Weija Leprosarium, Weija, and Wiaboman converged at the Weija Leprosarium to access their LEAP cash grants.
This monitoring exercise aligns with the Minister’s pledge to oversee the nationwide disbursement of the 96th LEAP payment cycle.
During her visit, she interacted with both beneficiaries and payment agents to assess the efficiency of the process and address any emerging challenges.
Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey announced that the Government, through the Ministry, has commenced the indexation of the LEAP cash grant against inflation—a policy reform aimed at preserving the real value of the grant and cushioning poor households against economic shocks.
The revised LEAP grant amounts are as follows:
One-member household: increased from GH₵256 to GH₵320.00
Two-member household: increased from GH₵304 to GH₵380.00
Three-member household: increased from GH₵352 to GH₵440.00
Four or more-member household: increased from GH₵424 to GH₵530.00
Addressing the media, the Minister reiterated that the LEAP Programme provides vital financial support to extremely poor households with vulnerable individuals—including orphans and vulnerable children, persons with severe disabilities, elderly individuals aged 65 and above, as well as pregnant women and nursing mothers with infants under one year.
She emphasized that the Government of H.E. John Dramani Mahama is determined to reduce the cost of living by making the right and appropriate decisions to stimulate economic growth and development for all.
“The Government is taking measures to enhance the real value of the LEAP cash grant and its impact on key development indicators such as nutrition, health, schooling, productive investment, and social inclusion,” she stated.
The Minister encouraged beneficiaries to prioritize critical needs such as household nutrition, children’s education, and income-generating activities. While LEAP offers short-term financial relief, she urged them to also work toward long-term financial stability.
Reaffirming the Government’s commitment to strengthening social protection interventions, the Minister highlighted the ongoing efforts to improve the livelihoods of vulnerable households across the country.
The LEAP Programme, a flagship initiative under the Ministry, provides bi-monthly cash grants to extremely poor households to support their essential needs. The ongoing 96th payment cycle aims to reach thousands of beneficiaries nationwide.
The Minister’s monitoring visit forms part of a nationwide exercise to ensure all eligible beneficiaries receive their cash grants in a timely and efficient manner.
