News
Mama Aku Seme II bringing hope, development to Avetakpo community
The role of a ‘mother’ in our local community has become synonymous with the traditional and modern roles of a queen mother; promoting health, education, liaison for infrastructure development and as special adviser to the chief and elders on women affairs.
Thirty eight-year old Mama Aku Seme II of Avetakpo, a deprived rural community in the Ho West district of the Volta Region, is one of such models.
Known in private life as Joyce Aku Dzifa Amedorme, she was enstooled as queen mother in 2019 and has already embarked on some developmental projects in her community.
Two years into her role, Mama Aku Seme II lobbied and got the US Ambassador Self Help Aid to build a three-unit classroom block for the community. This is the first school building in the settler community.
“This development brought joy to my people and the children, especially who had longed for a school building for years,” she said beaming with smiles.
She stated that it is her desire to build a community school up to the Junior High School (JHS), a clinic and a public toilet for residents of Avetakpo.
In 2023, during the Akosombo Dam spillage, which displaced thousands of people in Mepe, she donated clothing and other relief items to the victims.
Through her foundation, known as Mama Aku Seme II Charity Foundation, she has supported over 200 needy children and orphans with clothing, food items and other essentials in order to bring smiles to the faces of children.
When asked about her passion for the welfare of children, she said “I love to see them happy; their smile warms my heart.”
Mama Aku Seme II is from a family of six and a mother to two boys in a family of six. She is currently works with Forever Living Company limited.
And she has an advice for the youth.
“The youth must show seriousness in whatever they do. That is what would define their future.
They must be disciplined, respect the elderly and just be nice to people because one could find him or herself at a place of need.”
Mama Seme speaks Deutsch, English and four Ghanaian languages- Ewe, Twi Fante and Hausa.
She loves sports and loves to play tennis at her leisure time.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
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.
