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Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang commends local government ministry for progress in decentralisation
Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, has praised the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs for its key role in bringing governance closer to the people through decentralisation.
She made this known after she visited the Ministry to engage with its leadership and staff.
According to her, the visit was to better understand the progress being made in responsive governance and effective service delivery across the country.
“The Ministry is truly at the heart of government, especially as we work to reset the decentralisation agenda and strengthen our institutions,” she said.
During the meeting, the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, briefed the Vice President on several achievements since he took office.
He said the Ministry had successfully organised orientation programmes for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), and had issued clear guidelines on how the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) should be used.
He also spoke about the National Decentralisation Dialogue, which he described as an important platform that allows stakeholders to contribute ideas toward the future of Ghana’s decentralisation process.
Ahmed Ibrahim further noted that the Ministry has strengthened its relationship with traditional authorities.
He said engagement with chiefs and queen mothers has increased significantly, adding that the government has approved about a 300 percent increase in allowances for paramount chiefs and queen mothers.
According to him, this move shows government’s recognition of the important role traditional leaders play in promoting unity, development, and local governance.
The Minister announced the launch of National Sanitation Day work plans.
He explained that this forms part of preparations to roll out a 24-hour sanitation programme aimed at improving hygiene and sanitation across the country.
He added that there is renewed confidence among investors and development partners because of the growing stability and clear direction under the current administration.
In her remarks, the Vice President stressed that decentralisation must be used to improve the daily lives of Ghanaians.
She said social governance is key to maintaining peace and national stability.
She commended the Ministry for its efforts to ensure that public funds, especially the DACF, are used for their intended purposes.
“I appreciate the steps being taken to ensure accountability and that these funds truly benefit the people,” she stated.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said the engagement was not only to encourage the Ministry but also to listen, support, and strengthen cooperation in delivering better results for communities.
She reminded all stakeholders that governance is a shared responsibility.
“Government does not work alone. We must continue to treat every stakeholder, at every level, with the respect they deserve,” she said.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Dr Theresa Baffour, an advocate for ending violence and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SAHM SAHW Foundation, has said that society plays a critical and pivotal role in breaking the cycle of domestic violence.
According to her, domestic violence is a major contributor of making women, who are mostly the victims, mentally derailed and unable to engage in economic activities.
She said this when the foundation called on the Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, to solicit support for the initiative by the “Strong and Healthy Minds, Strong and Healthy Women” (SAHM SAHW) to combat domestic violence within the Ga State.
The visit was occasioned by the fact that domestic violence cases have become quite prevalent in the Ga communities and is retarding growth.
According to her, the canker was an impediment to national development because the victims were usually tortured and would have to go through series of therapies to return to the right state of mind.
Dr Baffour mentioned that Gender-Based Violence (GBV) places a mental toll on women, and was, therefore, important to break the cycle through comprehensive mental health support, crisis intervention and empowerment programmes in communities with high rates of GBV.
This intervention, she underscored, would help in empowering the denigrated victim of domestic violence to soundly heal, build and thrive.
Dr Baffour added that the initiative would provide holistic, trauma-informed mental health care and advocacy for young women affected by domestic violence.
According to her, the above statement would create safe spaces for healing and equipping them with entrepreneurial skills for renewed hope and empowered life.
The Ga Mantse pledged his support for the laudable initiative to combat domestic violence and also acknowledged the need to address it in the Ga State.
Further endorsement came from Justice Julia Naa-Yarley Adjei Amoah, Chief of Staff at the Office of the Ga Mantse, as she commended the team of SAHM SAHW Foundation for taking a bold step to end the canker in the Greater Accra.
She added that it was a step in the right direction to save vulnerable women from torture, stress and emotional abuse.
By Alfred Nii Arday Ankrah
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Traders have returned to the streets of Accra, occupying pavements and stretches of some roads after the last major decongestion exercise.
The exercise, which was aimed at restoring order in areas like Kingsway, CMB, Rawlings Park, Tudu etc, have now been defeated.
From Kingsway to Rawlings Park, traders display several wares including, footwear, herbal medicines, plastic products, fresh fish, second-hand clothing, and vegetables, among others.
Local Evangelists are also not left out as they scramble for spaces on the streets.
Pedestrians, therefore, find it difficult to move around when shopping, due to the human and vehicular congestion created by the traders.
In an interview with The Spectator, Auntie Abigail, a trader, said her return to the streets was to sell more, and she saw nothing wrong with it.
Hajia, who deals in wholesale items, indicated that they were unable to make sales as their colleagues move to the pavement and since customers don’t want to come inside, they prefer to buy from them.
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, has given traders a grace period to go back to their shops.
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
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