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Ghana makes history with first female Vice President-elect, Prof. Naana Opoku-Agyeman
Ghana has made history by electing its first female Vice President, Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyeman. This milestone marks a significant step forward for women’s representation in Ghanaian politics.
This is also a testament to the progress Ghana has made in promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment which has the tendency to inspire future generations of women to pursue careers in politics and public service.
This historic feat comes at a time that Ghana’s Parliament had passed the Affirmative Action and Gender Equity law which has been assented by the President, a legal document to demand gender parity in Ghana.
Currently, the agenda to increase women’s participation in political leadership is receiving universal support through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 5.5 which seeks to ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership, and at all levels of decision-making including political, economic and public life.
Women’s representation in political decision making continues to increase but at a dragging pace, years after the Beijing Platform for Action, which remains the world’s most comprehensive agenda for gender equality.
Globally, research by the United Nations Women (UN Women) estimates that men represent 77 per cent of parliamentarians, 82 per cent of government ministers, 93 per cent of heads of government and 94 per cent of heads of state.
Today, it is possible for one to name all of the current female leaders within few minutes, which is why whenever a woman gets to the top of an organisation or political party, it makes global headlines.
Since the nomination of Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyeman as the running mate of NDC’s flag bearer, many women groups have issued congratulatory messages with many women fan clubs springing up.
In order to pave way for women and girls to enter into politics in the near future, Ghana’s Vice President-elect on Monday reaffirmed her commitment to inclusivity and empowerment and vowed to pave the way for others to succeed in her groundbreaking role.
She said her election as the first vice president in Ghana’s history was not about personal glory but it was about creating opportunity for all.
Prof Opoku-Agyeman said “I know this is a big responsibility, and I don’t intend to travel the journey by myself. You are all part of it. NDC is an inclusive party, and we are demonstrating it in many ways.
“My job was to open the door and it does not end there, actually, that is where the work begins. I will hold the door open. The method is holding the door open so other wish to travel that door is what I’m implying. It is not self-aggrandising positing, it is a position that empowers others”, she said.
Prof Opoku-Agyeman called on all Ghanaian to contribute to the collective goal of improving collective growth particularly for the marginalized and vulnerable in society.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
News
Oxfam in Ghana donates medical equipment and essential drugs worth GH¢1.5 million to Kasoa Polyclinic
Oxfam in Ghana has donated medical equipment and essential drugs worth about GH¢1.5 million to the Kasoa Polyclinic to strengthen maternal and reproductive healthcare services in the municipality.
The presentation, which took place on Tuesday, June 24, 2026, at the premises of the clinic in Kasoa, formed part of the sustainability and legacy activities under the Power to Choose (P2C) Project.
The donated items included delivery beds, maternity beds, oxygen cylinders, neonatal resuscitation equipment, blood pressure monitors, newborn weighing scales, suction machines, delivery kits, essential medicines, medical theatre wear and other critical supplies to support quality healthcare delivery.
The Power to Choose Project is a seven-year initiative being implemented by Oxfam in Ghana in partnership with the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG), WiLDAF Ghana, SEND Ghana, Norsaac and PARDA, with funding from Global Affairs Canada through Oxfam Quebec.
The project seeks to improve sexual and reproductive health and rights for young people, particularly adolescent girls, young women and young men living in vulnerable and marginalised conditions.
Addressing nurses and management of the hospital, the Country Director for Oxfam in Ghana, Mohammed-Anwar Sadat Adam, said the project, which began in 2021 and will run until early 2028, is being implemented in seven countries across Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.
He said Ghana and the Democratic Republic of Congo are the two African countries benefiting from the project.
Mr. Adam noted that the project has already trained about 102 health workers in areas including youth-friendly services, emergency obstetric and neonatal care, family planning, gender-based violence response, respectful maternity care and inclusive healthcare delivery.
He said Oxfam and its partners conducted assessments at beneficiary facilities and identified equipment needs to help improve healthcare delivery.
According to him, the donation would create safe spaces where young women and girls could seek healthcare services without fear or stigma and would improve health outcomes in the community.
Mr. Adam thanked the Government of Canada, the Ghana Health Service, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Ghana (SOGOG), World Health Ghana and other partners for supporting the implementation of the project.
He urged the beneficiary facilities to ensure that the equipment is properly used and maintained to serve the community for many years.
A speech by the Municipal Health Director for Awutu Senya East, Dr. Stanley Kweku Yaidoo, which was read on his behalf by the Municipal Accountant, Rev. Dr. Askari Thomas, described the donation as timely and important.
He said quality healthcare delivery depends on manpower, financial resources and equipment, adding that healthcare workers cannot effectively deliver services without the necessary tools.
Dr. Yaidoo thanked Oxfam and its partners for selecting Kasoa as one of the beneficiary facilities and assured them that the equipment would be put to good use.
The Acting Medical Superintendent of Kasoa Polyclinic, Dr. Papa Kojo Arthur, expressed appreciation to Oxfam for its continuous support over the years through training and capacity building.
He said the equipment would greatly support the effective management of patients, particularly in maternal and child healthcare.
According to him, the donation would help reduce maternal and perinatal mortality in the municipality.
The donation formed part of efforts to strengthen the capacity of youth-friendly health facilities in eight implementing districts across five regions of Ghana to continue providing quality and accessible sexual and reproductive healthcare services beyond the lifespan of the project.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts (MoTCCA) has announced that an electronic copy of Ghana’s revised National Cultural Policy is now available online for free access by the public and stakeholders in the creative sector.
In a statement issued on June 22, the ministry said the revised policy was officially launched on June 9, 2026, at the National Theatre of Ghana in Accra.
According to the ministry, the decision to upload the document on its official website is aimed at ensuring widespread dissemination, increasing public awareness and promoting the effective implementation of the policy.
The ministry encouraged sector practitioners, stakeholders and members of the public to visit its website and read the document.
“The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, in the spirit of the Black Star Experience, remains committed to a transparent, inclusive and collaborative approach to building the better Ghana we want,” the statement said.
It added that it looks forward to the active participation of stakeholders in implementing the policy for the benefit of the country.
The ministry urged the public to take advantage of the free access to the policy document and familiarise themselves with its contents.
By: Jacob Aggrey
