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Let women, children be heard on climate change – 2nd Lady
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Mrs Samira Bawumia addressing the gathering
The Second Lady, Mrs Samira Bawumia has asked stakeholders to make conscious and deliberate effort to create space for women and young people’s voices to be heard, especially on climate change.
“You cannot make progress without leveraging the full resources of the majority of our population who are women and children especially in decision making,” she said.
According to her, climate change is increasingly inducing migration and heightening political insecurity threats across the sub-region, further impacting economic stability, especially of women and children.
Mrs Bawumia said this at the maiden Africa Women and Children Conference (AFRIWOCC), a platform to address the impact of climate change on women and children.
The conference, an initiative of the Second Lady, on Empowerment and Humanitarian Projects (SEHP), under the auspices of the Office of the President, was themed: “Amplifying the Voices of Women and Children in Climate Action.”
Mrs Bawumia said the conference would coordinate a network of organisations focused on women and children in the climate change economy.
The Second Lady said climate action must be holistic, inclusive and intersectional to address the diversities and challenges faced by all especially women and children from different backgrounds, including those in rural areas, urban centres, indigenous communities and persons with disabilities.
She said it was only a comprehensive approach that could ensure that no one was left behind in pursuit of sustainability.
“I call upon governments, organisations, businesses and individuals to recognise the urgency of trying to solve the climate crisis and embrace the transformative power of gender equality,” she said.
The Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), Amina J. Mohammed said there was the need for governments and decision makers at all levels to get involved and prioritise the wellbeing of women and children.
She urged stakeholders to set goals and work with a higher impact climate action that would unlock the potential of women and also to protect children.
“We have to identify practical solutions when it comes to women and children at the centre of our social sphere so that together we can develop as a continent,” she said.
According to her, African countries are at the highest risk of suffering from the impacts of climate crisis, adding that, “Africa suffers disproportionately from climate impacts, including droughts and insecurity.”
The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonja-Iweala said trade must be leveraged as a tool, both for climate action and for women’s economic empowerment.
She said government and policymakers must ensure that women and children were safe in the decision making process, adding that protecting the lives and livelihoods of women and children in Africa, was paramount to development.
Majority Leader of Parliament, James Agalga, has expressed gratitude to Ghanaians for the confidence reposed in him following his elevation to the position.
Mr Agalga thanked Ghanaians who had sent him congratulatory messages and expressed appreciation to President John Dramani Mahama, the leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), members of the Majority Caucus and the people of Builsa North.
In a statement posted on his socials, he also extended his gratitude to Ghanaians across the country for their support and confidence.
He pledged to work with other stakeholders to advance the government’s Reset Agenda and support the passage of legislation that would improve the lives of Ghanaians.
“We remain committed to working together to drive the government’s RESET Agenda and to champion legislation that delivers real benefits to every Ghanaian,” he said.
Mr Agalga called for continued cooperation as he begins his new role as Majority Leader.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has maintained that the Minority’s concerns over the reported GH¢22 billion loss linked to the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) are not politically motivated.
He made the remarks at a press conference in Parliament on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, where he defended the Minority’s position on the financial implications of GoldBod’s domestic gold purchasing operations.
Mr Afenyo-Markin stated that the Minority was raising the concerns because Ghanaians deserved clear information about how public funds were used in the gold purchasing programme.
He explained that the figures being cited by the Minority were contained in the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) report on Ghana and were therefore not figures manufactured by the opposition.
According to him, the IMF identified losses of about US$1.7 billion, equivalent to approximately GH¢22 billion, from the domestic gold purchasing programme in 2025.
He said the IMF attributed the losses to service and assay fees, discounts on gold sold to off-takers and exchange-rate differences between the rates used to purchase gold and the reference rate used by the Bank of Ghana for accounting purposes.
Mr Afenyo-Markin argued that the losses should be subjected to public scrutiny because GoldBod played a central role in buying, aggregating, assaying and exporting the gold, while the Bank of Ghana provided the financing.
He questioned why GoldBod should receive fees from the transactions while the associated losses were reflected on the books of the Bank of Ghana.
The Minority Leader stressed that the location of a loss in an institution’s accounts did not change its economic impact on the country.
He therefore called for answers on the prices paid for gold, how the prices were determined, the selection of off-takers, discounts applied to gold sales and the fees earned by GoldBod.
Mr Afenyo-Markin questioned the risk-sharing arrangement between GoldBod and the Bank of Ghana, arguing that the institution carrying out the commercial activity should not be able to benefit from transaction fees while another institution bears most of the financial risk.
He said the Minority was not seeking to trade insults with GoldBod officials but was focused on holding institutions accountable for the management of public resources.
He urged the government and GoldBod to address the concerns raised by the IMF and provide Ghanaians with clear explanations about the reported losses.
Mr Afenyo-Markin maintained that the Minority would continue to scrutinise the programme because the financial consequences ultimately affected Ghanaian taxpayers.
By: Jacob Aggrey
