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Mentor young girls to attain dreams, aspirations – Ms Darkoa Newman
Ms Newman (arrowed) with other participants after the event
The Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Protection (MoGCSP), Ms Dakoa Newman, has urged women in higher positions to mentor young girls to achieve their dreams and aspirations.
According to her, young girls need mentorship and someone to serve as role models to shape their lives to become better women in future.
The Minister made this known at an event held in Accra to commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child 2024 on the global theme “Girls’ Vision for the Future.”
Organised by the Department of Children under MoGCSP, the International Day of the Girl Child focuses attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights.
She noted that the ministry was committed to helping children achieve their dreams, however it was important to show respect to their parents and elders in the community.
Also, the Minister encouraged the girl-child to cultivate a strong spiritual foundation, fearing God and trusting in His divine plan to help shape her future and make her a responsible adult.
The Programme Officer for Adolescent Development and Participation at the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Ms Grace Akua Gyan-Darkwa, emphasised the importance of investing in the girl-child as a way to secure a better future.
She stated, “When girls are educated, healthy, and safe, they are empowered to contribute to their communities and the economy.
At UNICEF, we believe in the power of girls to develop innovative solutions to the world’s challenges.”
Ms Gyan-Darkwa highlighted UNICEF’s commitment to advocating for the rights and empowerment of girls, which she believes would unlock their creativity and energy to drive positive change.
Furthermore, Ms Gyan-Darkwa urged the general public to listen to girls’ voices, invest in their education, and provide platforms for them to lead.
The Chief Director at MoGCSP, Dr Afisah Zakariah, acknowledged the courage, resilience, and hope demonstrated by girls despite numerous challenges.
“It is our collective responsibility to listen to their voices, invest in their education, and provide them with platforms to lead. Let us work together to create a world where every girl can contribute to a brighter, more equitable future,” she said.
Panel discussions featuring influential women from various organisations reinforced these messages, encouraging girls to be determined, focused, and confident.
By Cecilia Lagba Yada & Emmanuella Akimbi
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Oxfam in Ghana donates medical equipment and essential drugs worth GH¢1.5 million to Kasoa Polyclinic
Oxfam in Ghana has donated medical equipment and essential drugs worth about GH¢1.5 million to the Kasoa Polyclinic to strengthen maternal and reproductive healthcare services in the municipality.
The presentation, which took place on Tuesday, June 24, 2026, at the premises of the clinic in Kasoa, formed part of the sustainability and legacy activities under the Power to Choose (P2C) Project.
The donated items included delivery beds, maternity beds, oxygen cylinders, neonatal resuscitation equipment, blood pressure monitors, newborn weighing scales, suction machines, delivery kits, essential medicines, medical theatre wear and other critical supplies to support quality healthcare delivery.
The Power to Choose Project is a seven-year initiative being implemented by Oxfam in Ghana in partnership with the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG), WiLDAF Ghana, SEND Ghana, Norsaac and PARDA, with funding from Global Affairs Canada through Oxfam Quebec.
The project seeks to improve sexual and reproductive health and rights for young people, particularly adolescent girls, young women and young men living in vulnerable and marginalised conditions.
Addressing nurses and management of the hospital, the Country Director for Oxfam in Ghana, Mohammed-Anwar Sadat Adam, said the project, which began in 2021 and will run until early 2028, is being implemented in seven countries across Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.
He said Ghana and the Democratic Republic of Congo are the two African countries benefiting from the project.
Mr. Adam noted that the project has already trained about 102 health workers in areas including youth-friendly services, emergency obstetric and neonatal care, family planning, gender-based violence response, respectful maternity care and inclusive healthcare delivery.
He said Oxfam and its partners conducted assessments at beneficiary facilities and identified equipment needs to help improve healthcare delivery.
According to him, the donation would create safe spaces where young women and girls could seek healthcare services without fear or stigma and would improve health outcomes in the community.
Mr. Adam thanked the Government of Canada, the Ghana Health Service, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Ghana (SOGOG), World Health Ghana and other partners for supporting the implementation of the project.
He urged the beneficiary facilities to ensure that the equipment is properly used and maintained to serve the community for many years.
A speech by the Municipal Health Director for Awutu Senya East, Dr. Stanley Kweku Yaidoo, which was read on his behalf by the Municipal Accountant, Rev. Dr. Askari Thomas, described the donation as timely and important.
He said quality healthcare delivery depends on manpower, financial resources and equipment, adding that healthcare workers cannot effectively deliver services without the necessary tools.
Dr. Yaidoo thanked Oxfam and its partners for selecting Kasoa as one of the beneficiary facilities and assured them that the equipment would be put to good use.
The Acting Medical Superintendent of Kasoa Polyclinic, Dr. Papa Kojo Arthur, expressed appreciation to Oxfam for its continuous support over the years through training and capacity building.
He said the equipment would greatly support the effective management of patients, particularly in maternal and child healthcare.
According to him, the donation would help reduce maternal and perinatal mortality in the municipality.
The donation formed part of efforts to strengthen the capacity of youth-friendly health facilities in eight implementing districts across five regions of Ghana to continue providing quality and accessible sexual and reproductive healthcare services beyond the lifespan of the project.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts (MoTCCA) has announced that an electronic copy of Ghana’s revised National Cultural Policy is now available online for free access by the public and stakeholders in the creative sector.
In a statement issued on June 22, the ministry said the revised policy was officially launched on June 9, 2026, at the National Theatre of Ghana in Accra.
According to the ministry, the decision to upload the document on its official website is aimed at ensuring widespread dissemination, increasing public awareness and promoting the effective implementation of the policy.
The ministry encouraged sector practitioners, stakeholders and members of the public to visit its website and read the document.
“The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, in the spirit of the Black Star Experience, remains committed to a transparent, inclusive and collaborative approach to building the better Ghana we want,” the statement said.
It added that it looks forward to the active participation of stakeholders in implementing the policy for the benefit of the country.
The ministry urged the public to take advantage of the free access to the policy document and familiarise themselves with its contents.
By: Jacob Aggrey
