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New AMA Boss begins work with departmental tour, pledges cleaner, safer, inclusive Accra
Michael Kpakpo Allotey, newly confirmed Mayor of Accra, officially began work at the Accra City Hall on Monday, outlining his vision to “reset” the capital city through a renewed focus on cleanliness, safety, inclusivity, and opportunity for all.
Mr.Allotey, who arrived at the office at exactly 8:30 am, was received by the Coordinating Director,Mr. Douglas N.K Annoful, Heads of Departments and units, as well as staff of the Assembly.
In a brief address, he declared his intention to pursue a cleaner, safer, and more inclusive Accra, adding that the city “deserves a reset.”
“My vision is to create a city that is clean, safe, and green with opportunities for all,” he said, stressing that sanitation, law enforcement, and youth employment would be at the forefront of his administration’s priorities.
The Mayor, who was confirmed by the Assembly last week, noted that as a young person, he could not be associated with failure.
He noted that the city must undergo significant transformation, insisting that “whatever we are doing must change.”
He aligned his agenda with the national vision by recalling the President’s remarks, saying that just as Ghana was undergoing a reset, every part of the country, including Accra, would also be reset.
As part of his first-day activities, Hon. Allotey toured the Assembly’s departments and units to gain first-hand insight into their operational mandates, ongoing projects, and implementation status
He visited key administrative and executive offices, including the Coordinating Director’s Office, the Director in Charge of Operations, and the Office of the Presiding Member, as well as engaged with staff from the Finance, Accounting, Budgeting, Procurement, and Cash Offices to better understand the Assembly’s fiscal structure.
Departments such as Human Resources, Planning, Business Development, and Audit also had the opportunity to brief the Mayor on their mandates and current operational status.
The tour further included visits to units overseeing internal services and public engagement, such as records management, stores, the MIS and CCTV monitoring units, the Public Affairs Directorate, the Client Service Centre, the Marriage Unit, Transport Office, Facility Management Unit, the Migrant Desk, and the Library.
The day also saw courtesy visits from various stakeholders, including traditional leaders, among others.
Mr.Allotey, a seasoned entrepreneur and logistics expert, brings over a decade of experience in the real estate, petroleum, and transportation sectors.
Before his appointment, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of Our God Is Good Real Estate, where he led the delivery of affordable housing units in peri-urban Accra.
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SEND Ghana engage Gender Minister for strategic dialogue on social protection and gender equality
A delegation from SEND Ghana visited the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, to discuss collaboration on gender equality, social protection, and economic empowerment.
SEND Ghana, known for its policy advocacy and equitable development efforts, works closely with farmers and empowers young women aged 18–35 through Mastercard Foundation-supported projects focused on livelihood and agricultural support.
The Minister welcomed SEND Ghana’s initiatives and highlighted the Ministry’s alignment with their priorities.
She reaffirmed that social protection is a top priority under President John Mahama’s government and emphasized ongoing efforts to expand coverage and enhance service delivery through flagship programmes like Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), which remains vital for vulnerable households.
Regarding the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), the Minister noted plans to introduce legislation to ensure its sustainability and improve the nutritional quality of school meals.
She praised civil society’s role in monitoring local implementation.
The Minister also voiced strong support for menstrual hygiene and reproductive health campaigns, stressing education and access to sanitary products for adolescent girls, and encouraged efforts to break menstrual taboos and keep girls in school.
Broader gender issues discussed included reducing unpaid care work, promoting gender-sensitive leave policies (maternity and paternity leave), and boosting women’s economic opportunities.
Both parties agreed on the need to build gender-responsive systems that empower women socially and economically.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to work together for inclusive development, gender equity, and stronger social protection systems in Ghana.
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3-Day in-country capacity building workshop on Women, Peace and Security Reporting Frame Work held
In 2018, the African Union developed the Continental Results Framework (CRF) to track the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda across Africa.
To support this regional effort, ECOWAS introduced a simplified version of the CRF in 2022 to guide member states in implementation and reporting.
As part of a broader regional effort to build national capacity across member states, the ECOWAS Commission, through its Directorate for Humanitarian and Social Affairs (DHSA), and in collaboration with relevant stakeholders and the WPS Regional Steering Group—with technical and financial backing from the ECOWAS Peace, Security and Governance Project (EPSG), co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and implemented by GIZ—organized a three-day in-country capacity-building workshop in Ghana.
Held from June 10 to 12, 2025, the workshop was spearheaded by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in collaboration with the European Union, the German Embassy, and the ECOWAS Commission.
It aimed to enhance the technical capacity of national stakeholders and focal persons to systematically document, monitor, and report on WPS interventions, particularly in relation to Ghana’s National Action Plan on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (GHANAP II).
The training also focused on improving data accuracy, promoting inter-agency collaboration, and ensuring Ghana’s reporting processes align with the ECOWAS Simplified CRF.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Momo Lartey, the Director of the Department of Gender, Madam Faustina Acheampong, described the workshop as “timely and appropriate,” noting its significance in strengthening Ghana’s WPS reporting architecture.
She further stressed the importance of accurate data and coordinated efforts to meet the country’s regional reporting obligations.
She also underscored the critical role of women in peacebuilding, emphasizing the need to amplify women’s voices and ensure their full participation in peace processes to achieve lasting, inclusive peace in Ghana.
Representing the ECOWAS Commission’s Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, Mr. Olatunde Olayemi reaffirmed ECOWAS’s commitment to Ghana’s WPS agenda. He highlighted the disproportionate impact of insecurity on women and girls and praised Ghana’s ongoing efforts to advance inclusive peacebuilding as a cornerstone for sustainable development.
Daniel Messina, from the European Union Delegation to Ghana, acknowledged the role of the ECOWAS Peace and Security Architecture and Operations (EPSAO) Programme—funded by the EU and German Government—in promoting peace, security, and gender equity across the region.
Additionally, Pauline Okkens, Political Advisor at the German Embassy, reiterated her government’s continued support for the development and implementation of continental and regional frameworks on Women, Peace and Security.
