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Minister participates in national dialogue on affirmative action and female leadership
The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection,Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, participated in the National Dialogue on Affirmative Action and Breakfast Forum held on March 28,2025, an Initiative by Glitz Africa Magazine.
The event, themed “Strengthening Female Leadership and Policy Influence,” brought together high-level female leaders and policy influencers from Ghana and beyond to discuss practical ways of enhancing women’s participation in leadership and governance.
Speaking at the forum, the Minister described the conversation as both timely and necessary, especially in the wake of Ghana’s recent passage of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121).
She noted that the law, passed after nearly two decades of advocacy, is not just a document but a national commitment to ensuring that women are no longer underrepresented or unheard in decision-making spaces.
She shared key highlights from her recent participation in the ECOWAS High-Level Interactive Session during the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) in New York, where it was revealed that at the current global pace, it could take over 100 years to bridge the gender gap.
Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey expressed optimism that platforms like the National Dialogue, which bring together seasoned leaders and emerging changemakers, have the potential to accelerate progress and reduce that timeline significantly.
In outlining Ghana’s steps toward implementing the Affirmative Action Act, she disclosed that H.E. John Dramani Mahama’s Government, through the Ministry of Gender, is finalizing the Legislative Instrument to support enforcement of the law, establishing a Gender Equity Committee to oversee compliance, and working towards meeting the 30% minimum quota for women in all political appointments.
The Minister further called for a collective national effort to strengthen female leadership through institutional commitment, intergenerational mentorship, and strong accountability mechanisms to ensure that the law does not remain on paper.
She emphasized that leadership should not be defined by gender, but by competence, vision, and inclusivity.
The Minister concluded her remarks with a call to action, urging all stakeholders to push for more women in leadership, challenge societal biases, and work toward achieving full gender parity in policy-making.
The Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Abena Osei Asare has expressed concerns about the failure of the Administrator of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) Mr. Paul Adjei to honour invitation of the Committee to assist in dealing with abandoned projects cited in the 2024 Auditor-General’s report.
She emphasised that some of the projects have been abandoned for more than 20 years and it kept reoccurring in the Auditor-General’s report yearly, stressing that the GETFund Administrator could assist by prioritising these projects.
However, he has failed to personally appear before the Committee since the commencement of the Committee’s public hearing in the 9th Parliament.
According to the 2024 Auditor-General’s report on Pre-University Educational Institutions, nine (9) Institutions with 16 projects awarded by the GET Fund Secretariat had been abandoned/delayed for a period ranging between three (3) and 28 years.
Some of the affected schools include Adanwomoase Senior High School (Boys and Girls dormitory abandoned for 12 years), Atoa Senior High School (Home Economics Block abandoned for 27 years), Beposo Senior High School (Dinning Hall and Kitchen Complex abandoned for 10 years and lastly KNUST Senior High School (Three storey classroom block abandoned for 20 years).
The Parliamentary Select Committee on Energy continued its oversight responsibilities with a working visit to the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) yesterday.
Chairman of the Committee, Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, said the visit formed part of efforts to familiarize members with the Authority’s operations and to explore ways Parliament could provide the necessary support.
He explained that the NPA’s work is focused on regulating Ghana’s downstream petroleum sector, a critical area for national energy security.
Mr. Bedzrah noted that the Committee is particularly interested in assessing whether the country has adequate petroleum stock to meet demand.
He noted that rising geopolitical tensions, including the ongoing US–Iran conflict, could have adverse effect on Ghana’s energy supply and pricing.
He further disclosed that the Committee intends to engage closely with the Authority on a proposed new petroleum bill.
According to him, a draft of the legislation will be reviewed and possibly presented to Parliament under a certificate of urgency.
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