News
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.
News
Avoid Johannesburg CBD unless travel there is necessary – Ghana’s High Commission in South Africa
Ghana’s High Commission in South Africa has urged Ghanaians to take note of a significant protest currently taking place in the Johannesburg Central Business District (CBD) today, Wednesday, 29 April 2026 by the March and March over unemployment and undocumented foreign nationals.
According to them, this has already led to major traffic disruptions and interruptions to normal business activities in the CBD
Given the nature of the protest, the High Commission noted that there is a heightened risk of tension, particularly toward foreign nationals.
“Please advise all to exercise caution throughout the day. It is advisable to avoid the Johannesburg CBD unless travel there is absolutely necessary. Those who live in Johannesburg are urged to remain indoors or in secure locations and limit unnecessary movement,” It stated.
Additionally, they added that “Members of the community should also be reminded not to engage with protesters under any circumstances, even if approached or provoked, and to prioritize their personal safety at all times. Carrying valid identification and relevant documentation is essential.”
Ghanaians in South Africa have been urged to stay in close communication “with members of our community and check in on individuals who may be particularly vulnerable. Parents and guardians should ensure that children remain in safe environments and avoid travel through affected areas.”
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
An aide to former Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has criticised the government over ongoing power outages, urging authorities to prioritise solutions instead of explanations.
His comments come in response to recent remarks by Energy Minister John Abdulai Jinapor regarding challenges in the power sector.
Speaking on the issue on Channel One TV, Mr. Aboagye questioned the government’s justification that ongoing transformer upgrades and system expansions are responsible for the outages.
He argued that such maintenance work has been carried out in the past without causing widespread disruption.
He said the situation does not make sense, insisting that it is possible to upgrade infrastructure without plunging the entire country into darkness.
According to him, Ghanaians are more concerned about having stable electricity than listening to explanations.
“Your talking means nothing to us. Give us power,” he said.
Mr. Aboagye added that the power situation is affecting lives and livelihoods across the country.
He claimed that businesses are shutting down, people are losing their jobs, and some lives are being put at risk due to the outages.
He pointed to rising costs, noting that consumers are paying more for electricity despite the unstable supply.
The former Vice President’s aide further criticised the government for what he described as a lack of respect for citizens, saying the focus should be on delivering reliable power rather than assigning blame.
By: Jacob Aggrey
