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Minister engages Queen Mothers to advance gender parity and social development
The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has held a strategic engagement with leadership of the Queen Mothers Association drawn from all sixteen regions of Ghana.
The delegation, led by its President, Nana Otubea II, outlined the formation and purpose of the Association, noting that it brings together gazetted queen mothers across the country to promote inclusivity, community development and participation in national decision-making process. The Association also reaffirmed its commitment to partnering government in advancing development initiatives within their traditional areas.
They highlighted their advocacy efforts which contributed to the passage of the Affirmative Action Act, and expressed appreciation to the Minister for her leadership, while calling for stronger collaboration and inclusion in governance structures.
In her response, the Minister expressed gratitude for the visit and reaffirmed government’s commitment to inclusive development. She emphasised that sustainable national development requires the active involvement of all stakeholders, particularly traditional leaders such as queen mothers, who play critical role at community level.
She noted that the Ministry remains committed to ensuring that “no one is left behind,” aligning with the broader national development agenda.
Touching on policy implementation, the Minister indicated that the Affirmative Action Act, passed in 2024 and launched in 2025 is currently at the implementation stage, with a Secretariat established to drive its roll out. She added that the Ministry continues to implement targeted social interventions through programmes such as LEAP, the Ghana School Feeding Programmes.
As part of the engagement, the Minister presented copies of the Affirmative Action Act, the Social Protection Act and documents on the LEAP reassessment onboarding process to the Association to support their advocacy and community outreach efforts.
The Minister further underscored the indispensable role of queen mothers in addressing critical social issues, including teenage pregnancy, child welfare, caregiving and community sensitisation.
She tasked the Queen Mothers to actively support and encourage more women to contest in the upcoming District Assembly elections, stressing that their involvement is crucial to achieving gender parity in local governance.
The meeting reinforced the importance of partnership between the Ministry and traditional leaders in advancing gender equality and social development at the community level.
Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central, Kwame Asare Obeng, has toured a leading solar energy facility in Canada following the submission of a Letter of Intent and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for a proposed 270MW solar power project in his constituency.
The MP was invited to Canada to inspect the operations and technology behind AKA Energy Systems, the company partnering with the Gomoa Special Economic Zone to develop the landmark renewable energy facility.
During the tour, Mr. Obeng was taken through the company’s advanced solar infrastructure, engineering processes, and long-term energy management systems.
Senior officials of AKA Energy Systems provided insights into how the technology can be adapted to meet Ghana’s power needs while reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
“This project is not just about megawatts. It’s about energy security, industrialization, and jobs for the people of Gomoa Central,” Mr. Obeng said after the facility visit.
He added that “Seeing the technology firsthand confirms that solar can be a real solution for powering factories and homes reliably.”
The 270MW solar plant forms the energy backbone of the Gomoa Special Economic Zone, a project the MP says will position the area as a competitive hub for manufacturing and exports under the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA.
According to Mr. Obeng, Africa’s industrial future hinges on solving the power problem first.
“Too many countries try to attract factories before fixing energy. We are determined not to put the cart before the horse. Before industries arrive, the power must already be here,” he explained.
He noted that the partnership with AKA Energy Systems reflects a deliberate shift toward clean, affordable, and sustainable energy to drive Ghana’s next phase of growth.
The MP added that the project will create thousands of direct and indirect jobs during construction and operation, while also lowering electricity costs for businesses within the zone.
“The future belongs to those who prepare for it. With abundant, reliable, and affordable energy, Gomoa Central can become one of the most attractive industrial destinations in West Africa,” he concluded.
Negotiations on the final investment and implementation timeline for the 270MW facility are expected to continue in the coming months.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Elikplim Akurugu, in partnership with the Ga East Municipal Assembly, has begun rehabilitation works on the road leading to the Ga East Municipal Hospital to improve access and ease movement for residents and patients.
Speaking on the project, the DRIP Coordinator for the Ga East Municipal Assembly, Seth Agboyie, said the team had already worked on the Kwabenya stretch and part of Ablaje under its road reshaping programme.
He explained that although work had to be paused at Ablaje due to pressure, the team returned to complete the current stretch.
He noted that last year, the assembly implemented a programme where teams moved into each electoral area for about ten days to reshape major roads before moving to other communities.
According to him, the current works are a special intervention targeting roads that have become severely damaged due to the rains.
Mr. Agboyie added that the project had faced some delays due to heavy rainfall but resumed when the weather improved.
He said the team is working on a 1.2-kilometre stretch, with about 720 to 730 metres already completed.
He revealed that the intervention was partly supported by a GHS 14,000 contribution from the health workers at the Ga East hospital, which helped facilitate the works.
Residents of Dome-Kwabenya welcomed the project and praised the MP for initiating the road rehabilitation.
They said the intervention was timely and would ease movement, especially for patients and residents who rely on the road to access the hospital.
They noted that the road leading to the hospital had been in a poor state for several years, making it difficult and uncomfortable for patients, drivers, and residents who use the facility.
They explained that the situation often caused delays in accessing healthcare and increased transport difficulties, especially during the rainy season.
Some residents, however, urged contractors to ensure quality work, warning that poorly executed roads often deteriorate quickly.
They called for durability in the construction to prevent a return to bad conditions.
Others also appealed for more development projects across the constituency, saying additional road improvements would further enhance living conditions and demonstrate continued commitment to the area.
By: Jacob Aggrey
