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Help provide assistance to prison inmates – Rev Steve Mensah
• Bishop Yaw Adu (left) exchanging pleasantries with ADP Christopher Hayibor
(right). In the middle is Rev Steve Mensah
The President of the International Prisons Chaplains Association (IPCA), Ghana, Rev Steve Mensah has emphasised the need for churches, Christian communities and philanthropists to throw their weight behind IPSA in its crusade to support the needs of prison inmates in the country.
of Koforidua after the launch
He said no matter the circumstances under which the inmates found themselves in jail, it was incumbent on believers and society to positively respond to the teachings of Jesus Christ in Matthew 25:43 which enjoined them to see to the needs of those imprisoned.
Rev Steve Mensah, who was inaugurating the Eastern Regional Steering Committee of IPCA branch of in Koforidua, recently noted that since the government was saddled with myriad of concerns and for that matter could not do it alone, there was the need for individuals to join the crusade to save lives.
He added that looking at the magnitude of work which needed to be done in the prisons throughout the country it demanded that more people should join in improving conditions in the prisons, which he described as non-negotiable.
Rev Mensah was grateful for the fruitful collaboration between IPCA and the Prison authorities for the commitment shown towards the launch, adding that there was more room for improvement, especially at some prison’s front desks.
Dr Mrs Angela Tena Mensah, an executive member of IPCA who has been very supportive in the crusade to see to the needs of prison inmates, in an interview with The Spectator said since women by nature were very hospitable and sympathetic, they should lend support to IPCA to put smiles to the faces of the less-privilege ones in the country.
The Officer –in –charge of Koforidua Prison, Assistant Director of Prisons (ADP) Christopher Hayibor who recounted the origin of IPCA, thanked the group for the commendable role it had played in ensuring the wellbeing of prison inmates over the years.
He said the Prison High Command appreciated the support, advocacy and invaluable services IPCA had rendered the service, and was hopeful that such collaboration would continue in order to help improve the lives of the inmates.
Rev Steve Mensah was assisted by Bishop Yaw Adu of the House of Prayer Church International,Koforidua to induct the Eastern Regional Steering Committee of IPCA.
The ceremony was graced by senior staff of the Prison Service in Koforidua, leadership of the Koforidua Local Council of Churches, representatives from the Police Service and the Regional Education Directorate among others.
IPCA is a global network of Prison Chaplains comprising ordained ministers, bishops, pastors, evangelists, deacons, elders, lay leaders in all churches who are reaching out to Prisons.
IPCA was launched in Ghana in 2014 and it has a Consultative Status at the United Nations since 2014.
By Raymond Kyekye
News
SEND Ghana engage Gender Minister for strategic dialogue on social protection and gender equality
A delegation from SEND Ghana visited the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, to discuss collaboration on gender equality, social protection, and economic empowerment.
SEND Ghana, known for its policy advocacy and equitable development efforts, works closely with farmers and empowers young women aged 18–35 through Mastercard Foundation-supported projects focused on livelihood and agricultural support.
The Minister welcomed SEND Ghana’s initiatives and highlighted the Ministry’s alignment with their priorities.
She reaffirmed that social protection is a top priority under President John Mahama’s government and emphasized ongoing efforts to expand coverage and enhance service delivery through flagship programmes like Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), which remains vital for vulnerable households.
Regarding the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), the Minister noted plans to introduce legislation to ensure its sustainability and improve the nutritional quality of school meals.
She praised civil society’s role in monitoring local implementation.
The Minister also voiced strong support for menstrual hygiene and reproductive health campaigns, stressing education and access to sanitary products for adolescent girls, and encouraged efforts to break menstrual taboos and keep girls in school.
Broader gender issues discussed included reducing unpaid care work, promoting gender-sensitive leave policies (maternity and paternity leave), and boosting women’s economic opportunities.
Both parties agreed on the need to build gender-responsive systems that empower women socially and economically.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to work together for inclusive development, gender equity, and stronger social protection systems in Ghana.
News
3-Day in-country capacity building workshop on Women, Peace and Security Reporting Frame Work held
In 2018, the African Union developed the Continental Results Framework (CRF) to track the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda across Africa.
To support this regional effort, ECOWAS introduced a simplified version of the CRF in 2022 to guide member states in implementation and reporting.
As part of a broader regional effort to build national capacity across member states, the ECOWAS Commission, through its Directorate for Humanitarian and Social Affairs (DHSA), and in collaboration with relevant stakeholders and the WPS Regional Steering Group—with technical and financial backing from the ECOWAS Peace, Security and Governance Project (EPSG), co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and implemented by GIZ—organized a three-day in-country capacity-building workshop in Ghana.
Held from June 10 to 12, 2025, the workshop was spearheaded by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in collaboration with the European Union, the German Embassy, and the ECOWAS Commission.
It aimed to enhance the technical capacity of national stakeholders and focal persons to systematically document, monitor, and report on WPS interventions, particularly in relation to Ghana’s National Action Plan on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (GHANAP II).
The training also focused on improving data accuracy, promoting inter-agency collaboration, and ensuring Ghana’s reporting processes align with the ECOWAS Simplified CRF.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Momo Lartey, the Director of the Department of Gender, Madam Faustina Acheampong, described the workshop as “timely and appropriate,” noting its significance in strengthening Ghana’s WPS reporting architecture.
She further stressed the importance of accurate data and coordinated efforts to meet the country’s regional reporting obligations.
She also underscored the critical role of women in peacebuilding, emphasizing the need to amplify women’s voices and ensure their full participation in peace processes to achieve lasting, inclusive peace in Ghana.
Representing the ECOWAS Commission’s Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, Mr. Olatunde Olayemi reaffirmed ECOWAS’s commitment to Ghana’s WPS agenda. He highlighted the disproportionate impact of insecurity on women and girls and praised Ghana’s ongoing efforts to advance inclusive peacebuilding as a cornerstone for sustainable development.
Daniel Messina, from the European Union Delegation to Ghana, acknowledged the role of the ECOWAS Peace and Security Architecture and Operations (EPSAO) Programme—funded by the EU and German Government—in promoting peace, security, and gender equity across the region.
Additionally, Pauline Okkens, Political Advisor at the German Embassy, reiterated her government’s continued support for the development and implementation of continental and regional frameworks on Women, Peace and Security.
