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Minister Designate for Gender, Children and Social Protection pledges to champion maternity leave policies
The Minister Designate for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey has promised to champion maternity leave policies in Ghana.
She also emphasized the importance of extending the current three month maternity leave period to support the well-being of both mother and child.
Madam Lartey said this on Wednesday during her vetting by the Parliamentary Appointments Committee on Wednesday in Accra.
“It is important for women to have a prolonged leave period, not only to take care of the children but also to properly heal,” Dr Lartey said
In an attempt to promote gender equality, she pledged to support parental leave to benefits fathers.
Also, Dr Lartey said there was the need for collaboration with key stakeholdrers, including Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and gender advocates, to achieve these policies.
“I will sit with all stakeholders, CSOs who are deep into it, and I will join the many advocates to look at what is best and ensure that we push it,” the Krowor Member of Parliament said.
Also, she indicated that, the Ministry will explore ways of providing affordable sanitary pads vulnerable girls.
This, she said will ensure girls do not fall victim tomen who offer to buy them sanitary pads in exchange for sex, leading to teenage pregnancy.
“There must be a way to provide affordable sanitary pads for vulnerable girls so they don’t fall prey to the men who buy it for them,” she said.
The Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister Designate also mentioned that she will set up a Child support scheme to provide support for vulnerable children rescued from trafficking.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has engaged South Africa’ International Relations Minister over xenophobic attacks on Ghanaians.
In a revelation on Facebook, he posted “I have this morning held a telephone conversation with my South African counterpart, His Excellency Ronald Lamola, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation. I called him on the trending videos about Ghanaians coming under extremely disturbing xenophobic attacks in South Africa.”
According to him, ” The South African Foreign Minister has expressed his empathy with the victims and promised full scale investigations into the depressing incidents.”
“The Government of South Africa is set to hold a briefing with African Ambassadors later today,” he added.
Okudzeto Ablakwa also confirmed that since yesterday, he had been in constant contact with Ghana’s High Commissioner in South Africa, His Excellency Benjamin Quarshie, coordinating the country’s response.
“I am gladdened that so far colleagues in our diplomatic mission have located the main victim in the viral video and are offering consular assistance. He is doing very well,” he added
The Minister revealed that “No Ghanaian life has been lost. We urge calm and confidence in our collective capacity to protect Ghanaians.”
He further noted that the Mahama Administration remains uncompromising about the welfare and safety of Ghanaians both home and abroad.
“We are determined to guarantee the protection of all citizens,” he added.
“May these regrettable incidents never quench our Pan-African love and solidarity for each other. The overwhelming majority of Africans are united and share an unbreakable bond — we shall not be divided by the hatred of a few fringe elements,” Okudzeto Ablakwa concluded .
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The Odumase-Krobo District Command on Monday, April 20, 2026, arrested a female suspect in connection with the abduction of a nine (9) year old girl at Agormanya Zongo in the Odumase-Krobo district.
On Sunday, April 19, 2026, the Odumase-Krobo district Command received a complaint from victim’s father that his daughter left home and had since not returned.
Following investigations and intelligence, officers from the Odumase-Krobo district with the assistance of BNI personnel at the Accra International Airport arrested suspect Regina Mamle Tawiah, aged 36, and rescued the victim at the Accra International Airport.
Preliminary investigations revealed that suspect was trying to send the victim to Kenya.
Meanwhile, the victim has been reunited with her father.
The suspect, Regina Mamle Tawiah who was arraigned before the Odumase-Krobo circuit court yesterday, April 21, 2026.
She pleaded not guilty and has been remanded into police custody to reappear on May 5, 2026 for case management conference.
The Eastern Regional Police Command has entreated the general public to remain vigilant at all times and promptly report any suspicious persons or behaviour to the police.
