News
M-CODe calls for toilet facilities along highways
The Media Coalition Against Open Defecation (M-CODe) has highlighted the need for decent toilets along every major highway in the country as a necessary step to enhance the culture of hygiene among the citizenry.
The National Convener of M-CODe, Mr Emmanuel Addai, made the call prior to the official launching of the Volta Region branch of the coalition in Ho on Wednesday.
He said that such facilities along the highways would definitely help to reduce the high incidence of the open defecation in the country apart from guaranteeing the comfort of travellers in distress.
Mr Addai pointed out that the menace of open defecation could extend from the highways to the communities in the form of diseases and it was high time the appropriate steps were taken to curb the trend.
Meanwhile, the National Convener of M-CODe has blamed the large absence of toilets in many homes in the country on the continuous failure of the Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to enforce the Building Code.
“The assemblies look on unconcerned as developers put up houses without toilets and also schools and health facilities without functioning toilets,” he observed.
Mr Yaw Attah Arhin, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Technical Coordinator of World Vision Ghana, sponsors of M-CODe activities revealed that 6.5 million people in Ghana still engaged in open defecation.
That state of affairs did not project a clean image for the country and it was time the issue was addressed with utmost seriousness, he pointed out.
Mr Arhin said that the vigorous involvement in the campaign against open defecation by M-CODe was timely and also projected highly bright prospects for the success of the campaign.
The acting Volta Region Secretary of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr Mawuli Hubert Yevu-Agbi urged members of the M-CODe to support the movement against open defecation with great zeal and enthusiasm, adding that matters of sanitation and hygiene were of greater national importance than political stories.
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News
220 former MMDCEs declare support for Bawumia’s 2028 candidacy
A coalition of 220 former Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) who served under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration from 2017 to 2024 has declared full support for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the party’s flagbearer for the 2028 general elections.
At a press conference held at the Alisa Hotel in Accra on Monday, June 23, the group, known as the Forum of Former MMDCEs for Dr. Bawumia, announced their “strong, unshaken endorsement” of the former Vice President. Their backing comes ahead of the party’s internal elections slated for January 31, 2026.
The forum described its support as more than symbolic, stressing that it is a practical commitment of time, resources, and political effort to help secure Dr. Bawumia’s candidacy and eventual victory.
According to the group, after extensive consultations with all aspirants and a thorough assessment of their competence and vision, they were convinced that Dr. Bawumia stood out as the most suitable leader for both the party and the country.
“Our endorsement is not merely symbolic; it is a strategic and operational commitment. With 95% of us having previously served as Constituency and Regional Executives—some for over 16 years—we possess an intimate understanding of the NPP’s structures, dynamics, and electoral needs. We will deploy this experience to ensure Dr. Bawumia’s message resonates in every corner of Ghana,” they said.
They praised Dr. Bawumia for his proven record in public service, especially his leadership in Ghana’s digital transformation, including the rollout of the Ghana Card, mobile money interoperability, and the paperless ports system. These, they said, had improved efficiency and formalised key sectors of the economy.
The forum also commended Dr. Bawumia’s inclusive leadership style, describing him as accessible, humble, and a unifier who engages with all factions of the party. His popularity with the grassroots, youth, and floating voters, they noted, gives the NPP a competitive advantage heading into the next national elections.
They argued that Dr. Bawumia’s national appeal and widespread recognition—established during the 2024 campaign—make him the party’s strongest bet for the presidency in 2028.
According to them, the electoral data suggests that beginning the campaign with a known candidate like Dr. Bawumia offers the NPP a significant head start, unlike the risk of fielding a new candidate with no established base.
The former MMDCEs said they view Dr. Bawumia as a leader who balances continuity and innovation, capable of upholding Ghana’s development gains while introducing new ideas for national progress.
They further pledged to mobilise their grassroots networks across all 16 regions of the country to support his campaign.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
News
CLCD engages Gender Ministry on Child Rights Protection
In a move to deepen collaboration in child protection, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, engaged with a delegation from the Centre for Learning and Childhood Development (CLCD).
The meeting focused on areas of mutual interest and explored opportunities for partnership.
The Minister expressed her appreciation to CLCD for their unwavering dedication to childhood development and learning outcomes, especially for vulnerable children.
She acknowledged the significance of CLCD’s work in supporting early childhood development (ECD), child rights, and inclusion.
Discussions centred on potential areas of collaboration, including: technical support for policy implementation, data collection on children with developmental delays, and the roll-out of inclusive learning interventions.
The CLCD delegation highlighted its strengths in training, research, and advocacy for inclusive education and early childhood development, and expressed its readiness to support the Ministry in strategic initiatives aimed at safeguarding children’s rights.
The Minister underscored the Ministry’s commitment to building strategic partnerships with organisations such as CLCD, which bring both expertise and field-level experience, to enhance efforts in promoting child welfare.
Such collaborations, she believes, are essential for prioritising the finalisation and implementation of Ghana’s Child and Family Welfare Policy, as well as the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Policy.
