News
Politicising gender-based violence harmful —Dakoa Newman
A Former Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ms Dakoa Newman, has called for an end to politicising gen der-based violence.
She said it should be “treated as a national emergency.”
According to her, politicising gender-based violence was harmful, as it distracts and deters women from achieving their political dreams.
“Gender-based violence in politics should not be politicised. If we truly want more women to participate, we must address these issues collectively. Some women are tagged with names such as witches, prostitutes just for contesting for elections.”
She said this during an engagement with non-elected women parliamentary candidates organised by Abantu for Development.
The session was on the theme “Strengthening Activism for a Gender-Responsive Elections 2024 in Ghana.”
The ex-MP for Okaikwei South stated that “Standing for election requires courage and sacrifice. As women, we often give up time with our families, our children, and our personal lives to pursue leadership. Whether you win or not, that effort must be recognised.”
Ms Newman noted that losing an election, while painful, should not mark the end of a political career. “It can be a stepping stone to new opportunities in governance and party leadership,” she added.
Recalling her own experiences during the 2024 elections, she stressed that political violence discourages many women from entering politics.
On financing, she urged partners and stakeholders to go beyond workshops and invest directly in women aspirants. “Financing is the number one barrier. Without resources, women cannot effectively compete. Organisations must support candidates with funding, research, and constituency-specific tools,” she emphasised.
Dr Mensah-Kutin, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Abantu for Development, revealed that 119 women contested in the 2024 parliamentary elections, out of which 78 did not win their seats.
She stressed that their contributions remained important for shaping future advocacy and strengthening women’s representation.
She also noted that although the Affirmative Action Law was passed in 2024, it came too close to the elections to be fully implemented, making platforms such as this engagement critical in pushing for increased participation of women in governance.
She called for full implementation of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121), noting that its 30 per cent quota must be applied strictly across all levels of governance.
The event was supported by the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) which seeks to reflect on the experiences of women candidates during the elections.
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
News
Trial for Adu-Boahene case to resume mid-October – Attorney-General’s office assures public
The Attorney-General’s office has assured the public that no evidence has been lost in the ongoing criminal trial of Republic v. Adu-Boahene and others.
This was revealed in a social media post by the Deputy Attorney-General, Justice Srem Sai, who said all the necessary documents to prosecute the four accused persons had been properly filed as of June 18.
According to him, the documents include contracts of sale, bank transfer records, bank account statements, property ownership papers, company registration documents, INTERPOL stolen vehicle records, purchase receipts, and caution and charge statements from each accused person.
He added that a flow chart showing the movement of money through various bank accounts and testimonies of three prosecution witnesses were also filed.
Justice Sai explained that certified copies of these documents had been served on each of the accused persons, making it unrealistic for the evidence to be lost in a way that could affect the trial.
He further revealed that before the courts went on legal vacation on July 31, the first prosecution witness had already testified and been cross-examined by lawyers for three of the accused persons.
The trial is expected to continue in mid-October when the courts return from the legal break.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
MoGCSP extends urgent support to victims of land dispute clashes
The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) has provided relief to families displaced by violent land dispute clashes in Gbenyiri in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District of the Savannah Region.
The conflict, which occurred on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, left several people dead and forced many women, children, and households to seek refuge at a temporary camp managed by the Ghana Red Cross at the Sawla District Police Headquarters.
Leading the delegation, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, distributed cooked meals and water to the victims and assured them of government’s continued support.
She said the Ministry would activate emergency interventions under the Social Protection Act, including food relief, psychosocial services, and protection measures to safeguard the vulnerable.
The Minister emphasised government’s commitment to restoring dignity and hope to affected families, stressing that women, children, and the elderly must not bear the heaviest burden of conflict.
She expressed gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama for prioritizing vulnerable populations and commended the Ghana School Feeding Secretariat and its caterers for mobilizing meals quickly for the displaced.
As part of her mission, Dr. Lartey, accompanied by the Savannah Regional Minister, paid a courtesy call on the Sawlawura to strengthen collaboration with traditional and regional authorities.
She urged calm, encouraging all parties to resolve the conflict peacefully through dialogue.
The Ministry is working with the Savannah Regional Security Council (REGSEC), NADMO, the Ghana Red Cross, and other partners to ensure continuous delivery of food, shelter, and essential services until normalcy is restored.
By: Jacob Aggrey
