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Govts urged to reform political systems to accommodate women
Governments have been advised to systemically reform political systems to elevate women’s participation in politics.
Dubbed the 2025 Conflict Prevention and Sustainable Peace Forum, the event brought together political leaders, diplomats, civil society actors, and regional experts from Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Australia.
It was under the theme “Amplifying Women’s Voices in Democratic and Political Transitions,”
Also in attendance was Ghana’s Minister of The Interior, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka who represented the President, John Dramani Mahama.
Addressing the delegates, the Liberia Ambassador to Ghana, Mrs Musu Ruhle, said true empowerment of women demands structural changes in political parties, electoral financing, customary law, and transitional justice.
Referencing Liberia’s post-war experience, she highlighted how grassroot women’s peace initiatives ended 14 years of conflict, yet many of those women remained excluded from decision-making.
“Democracy cannot survive unless women have an equal say; security will not be complete until every woman wherever she lives feels safe, heard, and respected,” she stated.
Adding her voice to the call, the Australia High Commissioner to Ghana, Mrs Berenice Owen-Jones, affirmed her country’s deepening engagement with Africa and its global leadership on peace building.
Ms Owen-Jones announced Australia’s increased voluntary contribution of $15 million annually to the UN Peace building Fund and its leadership in developing a Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel, with support from Sierra Leone and other humanitarian actors.
Underscoring gender equality as “a primary predictor of peace, even more so than a state’s wealth or political system,” she reaffirmed Australia’s commitment to the Women, Peace and Security agenda.
Adding his voice, the Minister for The Interior, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, noted that, the government was commitment to peace, inclusive governance, and regional security to promote stability in the country.
“Peace is not merely the absence of war, it is the presence of justice, inclusive governance and respect for human dignity,” he said.
The Sierra Leone High Commissioner, Mohamed Hassan Kaisamba, urged governments to reform political systems to make room not just for women’s presence but for their power.
The forum held in Accra on Friday was organised by the Australian High Commission in partnership with the Embassy of Liberia in Ghana, the High Commission of Sierra Leone in Ghana, the West Africa Network for Peace building (WANEP) and the West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS).
By Cecilia Yada Lagba
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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