Daily Graphic, Pg 17, Saturday, Nov. 22/08
Story: Rebecca Quaicoe Duho
SOME women parliamentary candidates in the forthcoming general elections have called for the setting up of a fund to support women in politics.
According to them such a fund should be set-up for women who would be contesting for parliamentary seats in future elections.
The women made the call at a day’s forum on ‘the role of the media in enhancing women’s participation in election 2008’ in Accra, organised by ABANTU, a non-governmental organisation, with sponsorship from the African Women Development Fund (AWDF).
The women parliamentary aspirants observed that women most often could not compete equally with their male counterparts because they normally lacked financial backing.
They, therefore, called on the government and other international agencies to come to the aid of such aspiring women politicians so as to help increase the number of women in parliament.
According to them although they had the capacity and willingness to be members of parliament to represent their people in their various constituencies, they were normally defeated because they did not have the financial backing that would enable them to mount effective campaigns.
One of the candidates, Ms Zalia Seidu who said she was contesting the Ayawaso Central Constituency seat for the third time on the ticket of the Peoples National Convention (PNC) said her major challenge was lack of funds.
Another aspirant, Ms Zita Okaikoi, who is contesting the Dome Kwabenya Constituency seat on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) also expressed similar concerns and said the establishment of such a fund was the only way by which women’s representation in parliament could be increased.
Ms Sarah Akrofi Quarcoo who was the facilitator of the forum traced women’s participation in politics from the 1960s and said although the number of women in parliament had increased since then, it was not significant considering the fact that women constituted only 10.8 per cent of the current 230-member parliament.
She said although concerns were more about the quality and impact that female parliamentarians had made in parliament, "it is also significant to note that numbers still count given the fact that the idea of ensuring that a critical mass of women are represented in parliament will encourage greater and more effective participation".
Ms Akrofi-Quarcoo said over the years, the media had brought into sharp focus inequalities in the system, saying that particularly, after the Beijing Conference, "the media supported awareness creation of the critical issues of concern in the Platform for action, significant among which is women’s participation in decision making and politics".
She urged the media to continue with its good work by speaking for women, promoting their interest and participation in politics so that the December elections would see an increase in the presence of women in parliament.
She said the media’s support for the forthcoming elections was crucial since fewer women were contesting the elections from the various political parties.
She said, "our work should not end with the elections. Indeed, post-election issues, such as the appointment of women into key ministerial positions have been more challenging", and called on the media to play an advocacy role in that respect.
Ms Jeannette Quarcoopome, Programme Administrator, Media Foundation for Africa, who chaired the forum, observed that women had not made progress in their participation in political process.
She said the media could support women candidates by mounting persistent campaigns to help whip the interest of the electorate to vote for women.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Climate change affects women’s livelihoods
Daily Graphic, pg. 11 Sat. Oct 11/08
Article: Rebecca Quaicoe Duho
GATHERED around a small pot of boiling maize in a remote village in Ghana is Ruby, a peasant farmer, as well as her four children who are waiting to cook their last cereal.
Life has not been easy for the family and many other farmers in and around their village as their crop yield has been poor due to bad weather.
Ruby and farmers in other parts of the world are among people in the global community who are experiencing the negative impact of climatic change, as a result of human activities.
Those seriously affected by the change are women and children who constitute the most vulnerable group in society and environmentalists say the global community is living on a time bomb that can explode at any time.
According to the preamble of the Women’s Manifesto of the United Kingdom (UK), “climate change is the single greatest environmental threat to life on earth. It not only impacts on our environment physically and economically, it also affects us socially and culturally.”
The issue of climate change has become dicey as the environment has for centuries been polluted and the end result is the numerous natural disasters such as flooding, cyclones, rising sea levels, heat waves and hurricanes which are currently being experienced throughout the world.
However, all is not lost yet as propounders of the manifesto believe that women have a key role to play in tackling the issue of climate change as consumers, educators and ‘change agents’ in homes, by encouraging the adoption of lower carbon lifestyles and passing on green values to the next generation.
According to the originators of the manifesto, women are also far more concerned about environmental issues than men but, “unfortunately, our importance is not matched by our representation. Women are significantly under-represented in decision-making positions on environmental issues, industry and the scientific community. We are also insufficiently empowered in taking action in our own homes to mitigate the effects of climate change.”
Globally, women are said to be more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to their different social roles and status. In the developed world, increasing costs for energy, transport, health care, and nutrition are likely to affect women, including single mothers, more than men. In developing countries, women are already suffering disproportionately more as a consequence of climate change.
The manifesto estimates that 70 per cent of the world’s poor, who are far more vulnerable to environmental damage, are women. It states further that 85 per cent of people who die from climate-induced disasters are women while 75 per cent of environmental refugees are also women. It adds that women are more likely to be the unseen victims of resource wars and violence as a result of climate change.
Women are believed to be more environmentally aware than men, more likely to be doing something about climate change but also more likely to suffer from its effects. They spend more time shopping than men and make the majority of purchases that have a direct impact on climate change, including food, clothing and household goods. As household managers, women are believed to hold the key to controlling household carbon emissions across the world.
However, due to the feminisation of poverty, other existing gender inequalities, and the gendered roles of men and women in society and in the division of labour, there are gender differences in climate change impacts.
At its 46th session in 2002, the Commission on the Status of Women took up climate change issues when it addressed environmental management and the mitigation of natural disasters. The agreed conclusions adopted by the commission called for action to mainstream a gender perspective into ongoing research by the academic sector on the impact of climate change, including the root causes, and to encourage the application of the results of this research in policies and programmes.
It is widely acknowledged that the negative effects of climate change are likely to hit the poorest people in the poorest countries hardest. In other words, the poor are most vulnerable to climate change.
Since women form greater part of the population of the poor in developing countries and communities that are highly dependent on local natural resources, women, again, are likely to be disproportionately vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Moreover, because of gender differences in property rights, access to information and in cultural, social and economic roles, the effects of climate change are likely to affect men and women differently.
Chapter 24 of Agenda 21 of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) therefore calls for a global action for women towards sustainable and equitable development and it recognises the impact of environmental problems on the lives of women and children.
It also calls for urgent measures to avert the ongoing rapid environmental and economic degradation in developing countries that generally affects the lives of women and children in rural areas suffering drought, desertification and deforestation, armed hostilities, natural disasters, toxic waste and the aftermath of the use of unsuitable agro-chemical products.
The chapter says that in order to reach these goals, women should be fully involved in decision-making and in the implementation of sustainable development activities.
In Ghana, the impact of climate change on women is no different as the global phenomenon puts women's livelihoods at stake.
This is because women constitute about 51 per cent of the nation’s population and about 30 per cent of them are heads of households. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, women also constitute 52 per cent of the agricultural labour force and produce 70 per cent of subsistence crops and play major roles in production and distribution.
Incidentally, a lot of Ghanaian women depend on the natural environment to provide food, energy, water and medicine; and it is this ecosystem that is under threat. Women’s income from their livelihoods and other economic activities has been affected, thus making them poorer.
The low income levels of Ghanaian women can be said to be leading them to compounding the issue of environmental degradation, since most of them do not have the resources to adhere to environmentally sound practices such as the use of gas instead of firewood.
Also due to inadequate resources, most middle class women go in for second-hand electrical gadgets such as fridges and microwaves which is not healthy for the environment because these emit more carbon than necessary.
The harm of global warming which is leading to climate change, according to environmentalists, has already been caused generations ago and the only solution now is for people especially women to change their attitude towards the environment.
Women such as Ruby mentioned in the introduction of this article should be empowered to adopt a more environmentally friendly approach to generate and make a living, focusing on the need for sufficient food, water, cooking fuel, a climate-proof asset base to prevent poverty, protection against climate-induced floods, famine, drought and conflict, and the education on climate change.
Article: Rebecca Quaicoe Duho
GATHERED around a small pot of boiling maize in a remote village in Ghana is Ruby, a peasant farmer, as well as her four children who are waiting to cook their last cereal.
Life has not been easy for the family and many other farmers in and around their village as their crop yield has been poor due to bad weather.
Ruby and farmers in other parts of the world are among people in the global community who are experiencing the negative impact of climatic change, as a result of human activities.
Those seriously affected by the change are women and children who constitute the most vulnerable group in society and environmentalists say the global community is living on a time bomb that can explode at any time.
According to the preamble of the Women’s Manifesto of the United Kingdom (UK), “climate change is the single greatest environmental threat to life on earth. It not only impacts on our environment physically and economically, it also affects us socially and culturally.”
The issue of climate change has become dicey as the environment has for centuries been polluted and the end result is the numerous natural disasters such as flooding, cyclones, rising sea levels, heat waves and hurricanes which are currently being experienced throughout the world.
However, all is not lost yet as propounders of the manifesto believe that women have a key role to play in tackling the issue of climate change as consumers, educators and ‘change agents’ in homes, by encouraging the adoption of lower carbon lifestyles and passing on green values to the next generation.
According to the originators of the manifesto, women are also far more concerned about environmental issues than men but, “unfortunately, our importance is not matched by our representation. Women are significantly under-represented in decision-making positions on environmental issues, industry and the scientific community. We are also insufficiently empowered in taking action in our own homes to mitigate the effects of climate change.”
Globally, women are said to be more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to their different social roles and status. In the developed world, increasing costs for energy, transport, health care, and nutrition are likely to affect women, including single mothers, more than men. In developing countries, women are already suffering disproportionately more as a consequence of climate change.
The manifesto estimates that 70 per cent of the world’s poor, who are far more vulnerable to environmental damage, are women. It states further that 85 per cent of people who die from climate-induced disasters are women while 75 per cent of environmental refugees are also women. It adds that women are more likely to be the unseen victims of resource wars and violence as a result of climate change.
Women are believed to be more environmentally aware than men, more likely to be doing something about climate change but also more likely to suffer from its effects. They spend more time shopping than men and make the majority of purchases that have a direct impact on climate change, including food, clothing and household goods. As household managers, women are believed to hold the key to controlling household carbon emissions across the world.
However, due to the feminisation of poverty, other existing gender inequalities, and the gendered roles of men and women in society and in the division of labour, there are gender differences in climate change impacts.
At its 46th session in 2002, the Commission on the Status of Women took up climate change issues when it addressed environmental management and the mitigation of natural disasters. The agreed conclusions adopted by the commission called for action to mainstream a gender perspective into ongoing research by the academic sector on the impact of climate change, including the root causes, and to encourage the application of the results of this research in policies and programmes.
It is widely acknowledged that the negative effects of climate change are likely to hit the poorest people in the poorest countries hardest. In other words, the poor are most vulnerable to climate change.
Since women form greater part of the population of the poor in developing countries and communities that are highly dependent on local natural resources, women, again, are likely to be disproportionately vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Moreover, because of gender differences in property rights, access to information and in cultural, social and economic roles, the effects of climate change are likely to affect men and women differently.
Chapter 24 of Agenda 21 of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) therefore calls for a global action for women towards sustainable and equitable development and it recognises the impact of environmental problems on the lives of women and children.
It also calls for urgent measures to avert the ongoing rapid environmental and economic degradation in developing countries that generally affects the lives of women and children in rural areas suffering drought, desertification and deforestation, armed hostilities, natural disasters, toxic waste and the aftermath of the use of unsuitable agro-chemical products.
The chapter says that in order to reach these goals, women should be fully involved in decision-making and in the implementation of sustainable development activities.
In Ghana, the impact of climate change on women is no different as the global phenomenon puts women's livelihoods at stake.
This is because women constitute about 51 per cent of the nation’s population and about 30 per cent of them are heads of households. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, women also constitute 52 per cent of the agricultural labour force and produce 70 per cent of subsistence crops and play major roles in production and distribution.
Incidentally, a lot of Ghanaian women depend on the natural environment to provide food, energy, water and medicine; and it is this ecosystem that is under threat. Women’s income from their livelihoods and other economic activities has been affected, thus making them poorer.
The low income levels of Ghanaian women can be said to be leading them to compounding the issue of environmental degradation, since most of them do not have the resources to adhere to environmentally sound practices such as the use of gas instead of firewood.
Also due to inadequate resources, most middle class women go in for second-hand electrical gadgets such as fridges and microwaves which is not healthy for the environment because these emit more carbon than necessary.
The harm of global warming which is leading to climate change, according to environmentalists, has already been caused generations ago and the only solution now is for people especially women to change their attitude towards the environment.
Women such as Ruby mentioned in the introduction of this article should be empowered to adopt a more environmentally friendly approach to generate and make a living, focusing on the need for sufficient food, water, cooking fuel, a climate-proof asset base to prevent poverty, protection against climate-induced floods, famine, drought and conflict, and the education on climate change.
Creating wealth from waste -• The Berlin Story
Daily Graphic, Pg 23, Monday, Oct 13/08
By Rebecca Quaicoe Duho
URBAN dwellers the world over are said to generate about 14 to 20 per cent of all world-wide waste. Much of the waste generated, that is 57 to 85 per cent, are primarily disposed off in landfills, including open and engineered sites.
In Africa, a total of 29.3 per cent of waste generated is dumped in landfill sites, 47 per cent dumped openly, 1.4 per cent incinerated, 9.2 burnt openly and 8.4 per cent disposed off in other unhygienic ways.
Africa recycles 3.9 per cent of solid waste generated on the continent as against 8.5 in Asia, 10.7 in Europe, 8.1 in Northern America and 3.2 in Latin America.
The issue of waste management has become complex across the globe as the volume of waste generated keeps increasing due to urbanisation. Also, the waste produced is more sluggish and inorganic, and worse of all, they are dumped together with hazardous materials.
The indiscriminate and improper dumping of solid waste, often mixed with hazardous untreated materials such as medical waste raises several serious environmental concerns, including loss of renewable resources such as metals, plastic, glass; loss of potential resources such as compost from organic waste, and energy from burnable waste.
Contamination of land and water bodies due to discharge of chemicals and other hazardous materials, and air pollution due to emissions from burning and release of methane from anaerobic decomposition also remain a concern to environmentalists.
Health concerns such as risks to human health leading to respiratory problems, skin and other diseases, and longer term impacts due to dioxins and spread of diseases by vectors in areas near landfill sites are critical issues which need to be addressed.
With the issue of climate change becoming more prominent, people cannot be less concerned about how their waste is disposed of since the way waste is handled today would determine the level to which our climate can be affected in future.
Handling waste properly can led to a reduction in the discharge of dangerous chemicals into our water bodies, soil and most of all, the atmosphere as this will help reduce the emission of carbon dioxide to help cut down on the depletion of the ozone layer.
The Berlin Experience:
With a total population of 3.4 million people, Berlin, the capital city of Germany generates 4,000 tons of waste daily. Half of the waste generated is household waste which is collected and incinerated by a municipal waste collection company known as the Beliner Stadtreinigungsbetriebe (BSR).
Berlin banned the dumping of solid waste into landfill sites in June 2005 and since then waste generated is disposed of either through incineration or recycling.
The BSR facility, which will today cost one billion euro, was built in 1967 and it is a non-profit public company aiming to collect 50 per cent of Berlin’s household waste with the focus on achieving a balance between economic needs, environmental protection and good health.
The company with a total employment of 200 people at its site and about 2,000 on the field burns 170 tones of waste every hour.
Through the burning process, the plant is designed to eliminate and prevent dangerous gases such as sulphur from polluting the air and converts nitrogen dioxide (NO2), another dangerous substance into nitrogen (N2) which is harmless and dissolves in the environment.
The plant also separates scrap metals and sells it to steel companies while ashes generated are used as fillers at landfill sites or in the construction of roads. Some hazardous components which are difficult to deal with are also dumped underground, especially in mining sites.
The smoke which comes out during the incineration processes is also degassed to ensure that it meets environmental standards with the daily toxicity in the air which is measured to ensure that no oxygen is emitted into the environment.
Heat generated during the burning process is not wasted but sold into the municipal grid to warm households during the winter.
The work of the company is made easy in the first place as people are educated to separate their waste. A typical household in Berlin has about five waste containers performing different functions.
The waste is separated into residuals, papers, green glass, white glass and plastics. BSR’s duty is to collect the residual and this usually comes with cans and bottles as some people do not separate their waste properly. The company, however, does not sort the waste out but puts them in the incinerator which burns at 850 degrees.
Waste management in Accra
Accra, with an estimated population of about four million, generates about 2,000 tones of waste daily and all this waste is dumped in landfill sites. Most of the waste is generated in some major market areas such as Kaneshie, Agbogbloshie and Mallam Atta.
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), charged with the responsibility of ensuring that waste generated is collected and effectively disposed of, is often overwhelmed as the population of the capital keeps increasing by the day due to uncontrolled urbanisation.
The situation has led to large quantities of waste being generated daily in Accra, and this exerts much pressure on an over-strained solid waste management system.
One major factor that makes it impossible for the AMA to discharge its duty effectively is the unavailability of a high-tech dumping site, the closure of the Oblogo Landfill Site in April 2007 and the subsequent closure of a second site also situated at Oblogo.
Coupled with weak institutional capacity, and lack of resources, both human and capital, the city authorities face difficulties in ensuring that all the waste generated in the city is collected for disposal. Due to the AMA’s impossibility of collecting all the waste effectively, the collection of waste from homes has been limited to some privileged areas in the capital while other areas considered to be inhabited by the poor, especially the slums, are left to contend with the problem on their own. This leads to indiscriminate disposal of waste in surface drains, canals and streams, creating insanitary and unsightly environments in many parts of the city.
The discrimination in the collection of waste is said to have led to an estimated 80 per cent of households in the city not paying for the disposal of their waste and most of them dump their refuse directly at sanitary sites where they pay between a token GH20p and GH¢1 depending on the volume of the garbage.
Waste collection is sub-contracted to private companies such as ZoomLion, Yafuru, Meskworld and ABC wastes and they all charge different rates ranging from GH¢4 to GH¢15 a month depending on the area.
The AMA is said to be spending GH¢600,000 monthly to maintain refuse sites and GH¢240,000 on landfill sites and currently, it is said that 65 per cent of the assembly’s resources are spent on sanitation-related issues alone.
According to a recent Daily Graphic report, an expert on waste management warned that an explosion at the Oblogo site was imminent if the AMA did not take steps to degas the site.
Presently, the AMA is at a fix as to where to dump its waste as the chief of Oblogo has called for the closure of the present landfill site due to the danger posed to the lives of the people living around it.
Although the AMA is preparing a new damping site at Sampa near Weija, the question is will the site help solve the problems of the AMA on the issue of effectively collecting and disposing of solid waste in the capital? One may also want to ask how long the site at Sampa will be able to hold the waste generated in the capital city and what the next step will be when that place is also full.
It is about time that the city authorities and government came out with a more concrete plan on the disposal of solid waste in the capital. It is also time for the government to take steps to introduce modern technologies into the disposal of waste in the country.
This can be started through educating people on waste separation to ensure its easy disposal. The issue of waste separation is a foreign concept to Ghanaians as many people are not used to it. Although ZoomLion has introduced the system, not much education has been given to the populace on where to put particular waste except with the yellow and green colouring on the containers which to an educated person would seem suggestive but is meaningless to an illiterate.
Also although the containers have been designed for easy identification, most people ignore the symbols on them and dump their waste as and when they find them empty.
As a result of the problems associated with the improper disposal of waste in the capital city, there is a clear need for a multi-stakeholder partnership in proper and integrated waste management in all stages — collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal, but especially at the source where it is generated, and integration with policies that encourage waste reduction, reuse and recycle.
By Rebecca Quaicoe Duho
URBAN dwellers the world over are said to generate about 14 to 20 per cent of all world-wide waste. Much of the waste generated, that is 57 to 85 per cent, are primarily disposed off in landfills, including open and engineered sites.
In Africa, a total of 29.3 per cent of waste generated is dumped in landfill sites, 47 per cent dumped openly, 1.4 per cent incinerated, 9.2 burnt openly and 8.4 per cent disposed off in other unhygienic ways.
Africa recycles 3.9 per cent of solid waste generated on the continent as against 8.5 in Asia, 10.7 in Europe, 8.1 in Northern America and 3.2 in Latin America.
The issue of waste management has become complex across the globe as the volume of waste generated keeps increasing due to urbanisation. Also, the waste produced is more sluggish and inorganic, and worse of all, they are dumped together with hazardous materials.
The indiscriminate and improper dumping of solid waste, often mixed with hazardous untreated materials such as medical waste raises several serious environmental concerns, including loss of renewable resources such as metals, plastic, glass; loss of potential resources such as compost from organic waste, and energy from burnable waste.
Contamination of land and water bodies due to discharge of chemicals and other hazardous materials, and air pollution due to emissions from burning and release of methane from anaerobic decomposition also remain a concern to environmentalists.
Health concerns such as risks to human health leading to respiratory problems, skin and other diseases, and longer term impacts due to dioxins and spread of diseases by vectors in areas near landfill sites are critical issues which need to be addressed.
With the issue of climate change becoming more prominent, people cannot be less concerned about how their waste is disposed of since the way waste is handled today would determine the level to which our climate can be affected in future.
Handling waste properly can led to a reduction in the discharge of dangerous chemicals into our water bodies, soil and most of all, the atmosphere as this will help reduce the emission of carbon dioxide to help cut down on the depletion of the ozone layer.
The Berlin Experience:
With a total population of 3.4 million people, Berlin, the capital city of Germany generates 4,000 tons of waste daily. Half of the waste generated is household waste which is collected and incinerated by a municipal waste collection company known as the Beliner Stadtreinigungsbetriebe (BSR).
Berlin banned the dumping of solid waste into landfill sites in June 2005 and since then waste generated is disposed of either through incineration or recycling.
The BSR facility, which will today cost one billion euro, was built in 1967 and it is a non-profit public company aiming to collect 50 per cent of Berlin’s household waste with the focus on achieving a balance between economic needs, environmental protection and good health.
The company with a total employment of 200 people at its site and about 2,000 on the field burns 170 tones of waste every hour.
Through the burning process, the plant is designed to eliminate and prevent dangerous gases such as sulphur from polluting the air and converts nitrogen dioxide (NO2), another dangerous substance into nitrogen (N2) which is harmless and dissolves in the environment.
The plant also separates scrap metals and sells it to steel companies while ashes generated are used as fillers at landfill sites or in the construction of roads. Some hazardous components which are difficult to deal with are also dumped underground, especially in mining sites.
The smoke which comes out during the incineration processes is also degassed to ensure that it meets environmental standards with the daily toxicity in the air which is measured to ensure that no oxygen is emitted into the environment.
Heat generated during the burning process is not wasted but sold into the municipal grid to warm households during the winter.
The work of the company is made easy in the first place as people are educated to separate their waste. A typical household in Berlin has about five waste containers performing different functions.
The waste is separated into residuals, papers, green glass, white glass and plastics. BSR’s duty is to collect the residual and this usually comes with cans and bottles as some people do not separate their waste properly. The company, however, does not sort the waste out but puts them in the incinerator which burns at 850 degrees.
Waste management in Accra
Accra, with an estimated population of about four million, generates about 2,000 tones of waste daily and all this waste is dumped in landfill sites. Most of the waste is generated in some major market areas such as Kaneshie, Agbogbloshie and Mallam Atta.
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), charged with the responsibility of ensuring that waste generated is collected and effectively disposed of, is often overwhelmed as the population of the capital keeps increasing by the day due to uncontrolled urbanisation.
The situation has led to large quantities of waste being generated daily in Accra, and this exerts much pressure on an over-strained solid waste management system.
One major factor that makes it impossible for the AMA to discharge its duty effectively is the unavailability of a high-tech dumping site, the closure of the Oblogo Landfill Site in April 2007 and the subsequent closure of a second site also situated at Oblogo.
Coupled with weak institutional capacity, and lack of resources, both human and capital, the city authorities face difficulties in ensuring that all the waste generated in the city is collected for disposal. Due to the AMA’s impossibility of collecting all the waste effectively, the collection of waste from homes has been limited to some privileged areas in the capital while other areas considered to be inhabited by the poor, especially the slums, are left to contend with the problem on their own. This leads to indiscriminate disposal of waste in surface drains, canals and streams, creating insanitary and unsightly environments in many parts of the city.
The discrimination in the collection of waste is said to have led to an estimated 80 per cent of households in the city not paying for the disposal of their waste and most of them dump their refuse directly at sanitary sites where they pay between a token GH20p and GH¢1 depending on the volume of the garbage.
Waste collection is sub-contracted to private companies such as ZoomLion, Yafuru, Meskworld and ABC wastes and they all charge different rates ranging from GH¢4 to GH¢15 a month depending on the area.
The AMA is said to be spending GH¢600,000 monthly to maintain refuse sites and GH¢240,000 on landfill sites and currently, it is said that 65 per cent of the assembly’s resources are spent on sanitation-related issues alone.
According to a recent Daily Graphic report, an expert on waste management warned that an explosion at the Oblogo site was imminent if the AMA did not take steps to degas the site.
Presently, the AMA is at a fix as to where to dump its waste as the chief of Oblogo has called for the closure of the present landfill site due to the danger posed to the lives of the people living around it.
Although the AMA is preparing a new damping site at Sampa near Weija, the question is will the site help solve the problems of the AMA on the issue of effectively collecting and disposing of solid waste in the capital? One may also want to ask how long the site at Sampa will be able to hold the waste generated in the capital city and what the next step will be when that place is also full.
It is about time that the city authorities and government came out with a more concrete plan on the disposal of solid waste in the capital. It is also time for the government to take steps to introduce modern technologies into the disposal of waste in the country.
This can be started through educating people on waste separation to ensure its easy disposal. The issue of waste separation is a foreign concept to Ghanaians as many people are not used to it. Although ZoomLion has introduced the system, not much education has been given to the populace on where to put particular waste except with the yellow and green colouring on the containers which to an educated person would seem suggestive but is meaningless to an illiterate.
Also although the containers have been designed for easy identification, most people ignore the symbols on them and dump their waste as and when they find them empty.
As a result of the problems associated with the improper disposal of waste in the capital city, there is a clear need for a multi-stakeholder partnership in proper and integrated waste management in all stages — collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal, but especially at the source where it is generated, and integration with policies that encourage waste reduction, reuse and recycle.
Train children to be assertive, independent
Daily Graphic, pg. 11 Oct. 18/08
Story Rebecca Quaicoe Duho, Dodowa
The Greater Accra Regional Director of the Department of Children, Mr Peter Akyea, has called on parents and guardians to train their children and wards properly to make them assertive and independent in future.
Making a presentation on “The Effects of Conflict on Children, the Family and the Community”, he said children tended to lose their childhood whenever there was a conflict situation, and that, according to him affected them psychologically and emotionally.
He added that during conflict situations, the routine life of children was disrupted as a result of displacement, destruction, death and separation from their parents and families, and this left them to perform unsafe and unpleasant tasks for survival.
Mr Akyea was speaking at a day’s workshop which was organised by the Department of Children under the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs (MOWAC) at Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region.
The workshop, which was sponsored by the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), was the fifth in a series of similar programmes that had been held in the Volta, Upper East, West and the Northern regions. It brought together representatives from non-governmental organisations (NGO’s), law enforcement agencies, social workers, traditional rulers and child educators.
He called on all to see child protection around the key area of child survival, development, protection and participation.
Mr Akyea said the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) offered the highest standards of protection and assistance for children, and that various articles of the Convention dealt with the best interest of the child under name and nationality, preservation of identity, separation from parents and family reunion.
Some of the participants expressed concern about the attitude of some parents who took undue advantage of the operation of orphanages in their communities and dumped their children there under the pretext that they were poor, and therefore could not take care of them.
They said although orphanages were meant to cater for children who had lost either one or both parents and did not have anybody in the extended family to take care of them, some mothers abandoned their children to be fed and clothed at such facilities, a situation which participants agreed was hampering the traditional way of bringing up children in the African society, and also destroying the family system in the country.
A social worker, Ms Patricia Wilkins, Executive Director of Basics International, an NGO, called on the Department of Social Welfare to critically examine the background of people who applied for permits to establish orphanages in the country.
A representative from the Greater Accra Regional Office of the Department of Social Welfare, Mr Leonard Agbley, said to ensure that orphanages in the country adhered to proper procedures of sheltering children the department was currently controlling the establishment of such institutions in the country.
He explained that managers of orphanages needed to have permits from the department before they could handle abandoned children in their institutions, adding that they would have to go through procedures such as notifying the police or a social welfare regional office of their plans to undertake such projects.
The Chairman of the Greater Accra Regional Multi-sectoral Committee on Child Protection (MCCP), Mrs Susanna Mahama, in a welcome address said conflict in homes and society presented situations where children and their mothers ended up suffering the consequence of such situations.
Story Rebecca Quaicoe Duho, Dodowa
The Greater Accra Regional Director of the Department of Children, Mr Peter Akyea, has called on parents and guardians to train their children and wards properly to make them assertive and independent in future.
Making a presentation on “The Effects of Conflict on Children, the Family and the Community”, he said children tended to lose their childhood whenever there was a conflict situation, and that, according to him affected them psychologically and emotionally.
He added that during conflict situations, the routine life of children was disrupted as a result of displacement, destruction, death and separation from their parents and families, and this left them to perform unsafe and unpleasant tasks for survival.
Mr Akyea was speaking at a day’s workshop which was organised by the Department of Children under the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs (MOWAC) at Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region.
The workshop, which was sponsored by the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), was the fifth in a series of similar programmes that had been held in the Volta, Upper East, West and the Northern regions. It brought together representatives from non-governmental organisations (NGO’s), law enforcement agencies, social workers, traditional rulers and child educators.
He called on all to see child protection around the key area of child survival, development, protection and participation.
Mr Akyea said the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) offered the highest standards of protection and assistance for children, and that various articles of the Convention dealt with the best interest of the child under name and nationality, preservation of identity, separation from parents and family reunion.
Some of the participants expressed concern about the attitude of some parents who took undue advantage of the operation of orphanages in their communities and dumped their children there under the pretext that they were poor, and therefore could not take care of them.
They said although orphanages were meant to cater for children who had lost either one or both parents and did not have anybody in the extended family to take care of them, some mothers abandoned their children to be fed and clothed at such facilities, a situation which participants agreed was hampering the traditional way of bringing up children in the African society, and also destroying the family system in the country.
A social worker, Ms Patricia Wilkins, Executive Director of Basics International, an NGO, called on the Department of Social Welfare to critically examine the background of people who applied for permits to establish orphanages in the country.
A representative from the Greater Accra Regional Office of the Department of Social Welfare, Mr Leonard Agbley, said to ensure that orphanages in the country adhered to proper procedures of sheltering children the department was currently controlling the establishment of such institutions in the country.
He explained that managers of orphanages needed to have permits from the department before they could handle abandoned children in their institutions, adding that they would have to go through procedures such as notifying the police or a social welfare regional office of their plans to undertake such projects.
The Chairman of the Greater Accra Regional Multi-sectoral Committee on Child Protection (MCCP), Mrs Susanna Mahama, in a welcome address said conflict in homes and society presented situations where children and their mothers ended up suffering the consequence of such situations.
Edtex promotes use of local fabrics
Daily Graphic, Pg 11, Oct. 23/08
Story: Rebecca Quaicoe Duho
A Textile Designer, Ms Edwina Assan of Edtex Design, has lauded the launch of the National Friday Wear programme by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Presidential Special Initiatives (PSI).
She said the move was a positive step to promote the use of made-in-Ghana prints and revitalise the textiles and garments industry and also project a unique Ghanaian identity through the extensive use of local fabrics and designs as business wear.
Ms Assan who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree with textile option made the statement in Accra when she launched an exhibition of an assortment of locally designed fabric and batik designed for soft furnishing for homes.
The programme, which attracted a wide range of customers, including foreigners and tourists, showcased items such as bedspread, curtains, shower curtains, cushion covers, hand towels, chair backs, aprons, pot holders, oven gloves, napkins, tissue box holders, jewellery holders, table cloths and wall hangings.
She said the introduction of Friday wear by most companies had challenged the textile industry to come up with innovative designs, saying that this had helped increase the patronage of locally manufactured fabrics.
Ms Assan, however said the importation of cheap textiles and imitation wax prints into the country was greatly affecting the operations of the local textile industry, and therefore stressed the need for the government to step up efforts to restrict the importation of such goods.
According to her, the government could do this through the imposition of stiffer tariffs on foreign textiles imported into the country to help local industries withstand competition.
Ms Assan said so far she had marketed her products on the international markets such as in the United States of America (USA), Britain and Germany, and export some to Japan and the USA. She has also undertaken contracts to furnish some top hotels, restaurants and organisations in the country, including the Golden Tulip and the Barclays Bank.
She said the textile industry had a huge market on the international market, and pointed out that although it might be expensive to start operating in the sector, one needed to work with determination.
A Friend of Art, Mrs Heidi Amegayibor, who opened the exhibition congratulated Ms Assan for her continuous commitment and support to the textile industry, saying that “it is amazing and just great to see Edwina and her Edtex brand growing and coming up with new fascinating wall pictures and a diverse array of not only tasteful, but well selected colours and other home décor”.
She said Edtex started 20 years ago when the local textile industry was not in vogue but added that the company had managed to stay in fashion.
Story: Rebecca Quaicoe Duho
A Textile Designer, Ms Edwina Assan of Edtex Design, has lauded the launch of the National Friday Wear programme by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Presidential Special Initiatives (PSI).
She said the move was a positive step to promote the use of made-in-Ghana prints and revitalise the textiles and garments industry and also project a unique Ghanaian identity through the extensive use of local fabrics and designs as business wear.
Ms Assan who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree with textile option made the statement in Accra when she launched an exhibition of an assortment of locally designed fabric and batik designed for soft furnishing for homes.
The programme, which attracted a wide range of customers, including foreigners and tourists, showcased items such as bedspread, curtains, shower curtains, cushion covers, hand towels, chair backs, aprons, pot holders, oven gloves, napkins, tissue box holders, jewellery holders, table cloths and wall hangings.
She said the introduction of Friday wear by most companies had challenged the textile industry to come up with innovative designs, saying that this had helped increase the patronage of locally manufactured fabrics.
Ms Assan, however said the importation of cheap textiles and imitation wax prints into the country was greatly affecting the operations of the local textile industry, and therefore stressed the need for the government to step up efforts to restrict the importation of such goods.
According to her, the government could do this through the imposition of stiffer tariffs on foreign textiles imported into the country to help local industries withstand competition.
Ms Assan said so far she had marketed her products on the international markets such as in the United States of America (USA), Britain and Germany, and export some to Japan and the USA. She has also undertaken contracts to furnish some top hotels, restaurants and organisations in the country, including the Golden Tulip and the Barclays Bank.
She said the textile industry had a huge market on the international market, and pointed out that although it might be expensive to start operating in the sector, one needed to work with determination.
A Friend of Art, Mrs Heidi Amegayibor, who opened the exhibition congratulated Ms Assan for her continuous commitment and support to the textile industry, saying that “it is amazing and just great to see Edwina and her Edtex brand growing and coming up with new fascinating wall pictures and a diverse array of not only tasteful, but well selected colours and other home décor”.
She said Edtex started 20 years ago when the local textile industry was not in vogue but added that the company had managed to stay in fashion.
Let’s support women in politics'
Daily Graphic Pg 11, Oct 28/08
Story: Rebecca Quaicoe Duho
One of the salient issues discussed at the United Nation’s (UN) World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995 was that of improving women’s active participation in all aspects of development.
That conference agreed that “the empowerment and autonomy of women and the improvement of women’s social, economic and political status is essential for the achievement of both transparent and accountable government and administration, and sustainable development in all areas of life”.
Although the status of women across the world has marginally improved after the conference there is still more to be done to address the issue of gender inequality to achieve gender equality, equity, mainstreaming and women empowerment.
In Ghana, although women constitute more than half of the country’s population, their representation in parliament as well as in other decision-making positions is low.
Presently, there are 25 women in the country’s 230-member Legislature. The country has four women cabinet ministers as against 16 men. There is also no female regional minister in the country, while there are only three deputy ministers.
Also, out of the 35 chief directors of ministries, only six are women while there are only three women representations on the Council of State which is composed of a membership of 25. There four women out of the total number of 48 serving as ambassadors and high commissioners, whereas at the district assembly level, out of a total of 138 district chief executives, only 12 are women.
Records of the number of women participating in this year’s parliamentary election indicate that less than 70 will be contesting this year’s election to enter the country’s legislature, as against 100 in 2004.
To sharpen the skills of journalists in writing on the poor representation of women in decision-making, a women’s advocacy non-governmental organisation (NGO), Women Media and Change (WOMEC), in conjunction with ABANTU for Development and with support from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), has organised a two-day workshop for selected journalists on increasing women’s participation in politics.
The workshop, which brought together 30 journalists from the Greater Accra, Eastern, Central and Western regions, was aimed among other things, at building the capacity of the participants to be more gender sensitive in their reportage before, during and after the elections. It was also to sensitise the journalists to give adequate coverage to all the female candidates vying for various parliamentary seats, as well as also use the media as an effective tool to solicit votes for them.
A Gender and Development Consultant, Mrs Joana Opare, who took participants through the topics “promoting women’s participation in governance and decision making” and “Understanding gender-concepts and terminologies”, admitted that “gender advocacy cannot be changed within a day; it will take decades or centuries to do it”.
Enumerating some of the barriers that hinder women’s participation in politics, she said that women were generally less interested in politics; both women and men often see politics as a man’s affair; women lacked political capacities; women lacked confidence in their own political capabilities and that they also have lower level of education, professional experience, income and available time, as compared to men.
She stated further that women who wanted to enter into politics often lacked support from their husbands or family at the societal level; they had limited access to leadership, managerial skills and training and also mentioned the lack of female role models and mentors.
She also said there was an aggressive political climate, competitiveness and discrimination or intimidation of women, adding that the working conditions and organisational culture was not adapted to women’s circumstances such as the lack of childcare services, family leave and flexible work schedules.
Mrs Opare further noted that there were no laws in the country on the political rights and participation of women although Article 35 (6) (b) of the 1992 Constitution provides that the state takes appropriate measures to achieve reasonable gender and regional balance in recruitment and appointment to public office.
She said in order to actualise the principles of good governance that takes into account the equal representation of men and women, the process of governance will have to secure the inclusion of those who are marginalised.
According to her, gender equality was a contributor to, as well as an outcome of good governance and that it was essential to look beyond the question of numbers to enhancing the quality and effectiveness of women politicians.
She called on advocates of gender equality to conduct research, particularly on the need for changes at policy levels, encourage the collection, analysis and dissemination of sex-disaggregated data, develop practical tools to support the integration of gender perspectives at both policy and programme levels and also strengthen and disseminate methodologies for gender analysis.
She also called for moral support for women aspiring to enter into politics through the support of interest groups within the political process, or create another system of mentoring for inexperienced women politicians, provide support from a reference group or institution that will act as a support base and as a pressure group for women’s issues
She said women feel continuously marginalised, stereotyped, taken for granted and experience little understanding or support, adding that to attain equal participation of men and women in governance, men need to work together with women and that every effort must be made to bring on board their valuable contributions towards sustainable development at all levels.
Giving an overview of the workshop, Mrs Charity Binka, the Executive Director of WOMEC, said in order for the media to help in scaling up the representation of women in parliament, “it was necessary for a critical mass media professionals to be created and cultivated to promote and give greater visibility to all female parliamentary candidates, irrespective of the political party they are representing”.
She said the workshop, which will also be replicated in the northern sector of the country, will also bring the media personnel together after the elections for a post- election seminar to draw up realistic strategies to sustain the interest generated in the electorate for female candidates to ensure their success in future.
Story: Rebecca Quaicoe Duho
One of the salient issues discussed at the United Nation’s (UN) World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995 was that of improving women’s active participation in all aspects of development.
That conference agreed that “the empowerment and autonomy of women and the improvement of women’s social, economic and political status is essential for the achievement of both transparent and accountable government and administration, and sustainable development in all areas of life”.
Although the status of women across the world has marginally improved after the conference there is still more to be done to address the issue of gender inequality to achieve gender equality, equity, mainstreaming and women empowerment.
In Ghana, although women constitute more than half of the country’s population, their representation in parliament as well as in other decision-making positions is low.
Presently, there are 25 women in the country’s 230-member Legislature. The country has four women cabinet ministers as against 16 men. There is also no female regional minister in the country, while there are only three deputy ministers.
Also, out of the 35 chief directors of ministries, only six are women while there are only three women representations on the Council of State which is composed of a membership of 25. There four women out of the total number of 48 serving as ambassadors and high commissioners, whereas at the district assembly level, out of a total of 138 district chief executives, only 12 are women.
Records of the number of women participating in this year’s parliamentary election indicate that less than 70 will be contesting this year’s election to enter the country’s legislature, as against 100 in 2004.
To sharpen the skills of journalists in writing on the poor representation of women in decision-making, a women’s advocacy non-governmental organisation (NGO), Women Media and Change (WOMEC), in conjunction with ABANTU for Development and with support from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), has organised a two-day workshop for selected journalists on increasing women’s participation in politics.
The workshop, which brought together 30 journalists from the Greater Accra, Eastern, Central and Western regions, was aimed among other things, at building the capacity of the participants to be more gender sensitive in their reportage before, during and after the elections. It was also to sensitise the journalists to give adequate coverage to all the female candidates vying for various parliamentary seats, as well as also use the media as an effective tool to solicit votes for them.
A Gender and Development Consultant, Mrs Joana Opare, who took participants through the topics “promoting women’s participation in governance and decision making” and “Understanding gender-concepts and terminologies”, admitted that “gender advocacy cannot be changed within a day; it will take decades or centuries to do it”.
Enumerating some of the barriers that hinder women’s participation in politics, she said that women were generally less interested in politics; both women and men often see politics as a man’s affair; women lacked political capacities; women lacked confidence in their own political capabilities and that they also have lower level of education, professional experience, income and available time, as compared to men.
She stated further that women who wanted to enter into politics often lacked support from their husbands or family at the societal level; they had limited access to leadership, managerial skills and training and also mentioned the lack of female role models and mentors.
She also said there was an aggressive political climate, competitiveness and discrimination or intimidation of women, adding that the working conditions and organisational culture was not adapted to women’s circumstances such as the lack of childcare services, family leave and flexible work schedules.
Mrs Opare further noted that there were no laws in the country on the political rights and participation of women although Article 35 (6) (b) of the 1992 Constitution provides that the state takes appropriate measures to achieve reasonable gender and regional balance in recruitment and appointment to public office.
She said in order to actualise the principles of good governance that takes into account the equal representation of men and women, the process of governance will have to secure the inclusion of those who are marginalised.
According to her, gender equality was a contributor to, as well as an outcome of good governance and that it was essential to look beyond the question of numbers to enhancing the quality and effectiveness of women politicians.
She called on advocates of gender equality to conduct research, particularly on the need for changes at policy levels, encourage the collection, analysis and dissemination of sex-disaggregated data, develop practical tools to support the integration of gender perspectives at both policy and programme levels and also strengthen and disseminate methodologies for gender analysis.
She also called for moral support for women aspiring to enter into politics through the support of interest groups within the political process, or create another system of mentoring for inexperienced women politicians, provide support from a reference group or institution that will act as a support base and as a pressure group for women’s issues
She said women feel continuously marginalised, stereotyped, taken for granted and experience little understanding or support, adding that to attain equal participation of men and women in governance, men need to work together with women and that every effort must be made to bring on board their valuable contributions towards sustainable development at all levels.
Giving an overview of the workshop, Mrs Charity Binka, the Executive Director of WOMEC, said in order for the media to help in scaling up the representation of women in parliament, “it was necessary for a critical mass media professionals to be created and cultivated to promote and give greater visibility to all female parliamentary candidates, irrespective of the political party they are representing”.
She said the workshop, which will also be replicated in the northern sector of the country, will also bring the media personnel together after the elections for a post- election seminar to draw up realistic strategies to sustain the interest generated in the electorate for female candidates to ensure their success in future.
'Government is committed to quality education'
Daily Graphic, Pg 11, Oct. 29/08
Story Rebecca Quaicoe Duho, Amasaman
THE government is committed to using quality education to empower the youth to take up the mantle of leadership when their time is due, the Deputy Greater Accra Regional Minister, Ms Theresa Amerley Tagoe, has stated.
She said, knowledge and skilled labour force constituted the greatest assets of a nation, but if a child of school age was compelled by circumstances to go into child labour, that asset was destroyed forever.
Ms Tagoe noted that “Education as a tool empowers and expands the resource base of a nation leading to sustainable economic and social development.
The Deputy Minister was speaking during the Greater Accra Regional celebration of this year’s National Children’s Day, organised by the regional directorate of the Department of Children at Amasaman.
The day was marked with the theme, “Children at the center of the Children’s Act” and it brought together school children, parents, opinion leaders, traditional rulers and stakeholders.
Ms Tagoe urged parents to take advantage of the capitation grant and the school feeding programme introduced by the government and send their children to school.
She said parents who failed to take advantage of these programmes among others, introduced by government concerning the welfare of children, were hindering the smooth development and progress of their wards.
The ‘Children’s Act’ recognised children as people who cannot be ignored, she observed, and asked society to help these children attain their full potentials in life.
The ‘Children’s Act’ together with other Legislative Instruments, policies and programmes, such as the Early Childhood Care and Development policy and the Human Trafficking Act, among others have been ratified by Parliament for the survival, development and protection of children, Ms Tagoe noted.
The Regional Director of the Department of Children, Mr Peter Akyea, said the department had undertaken educational programmes in the region through its community sensitisation exercises which according to him had encouraged most parents to send their children to school.
He said his outfit in collaboration with the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU,) of the Ghana Police Service, had been able to address a lot of child protection issues which included child abuse and neglect.
On behalf of other school children in the district, a pupil from the Amasaman District Assembly Junior High School, Miss Gifty Nyadudzi, called on the society to help children to enjoy all their rights as enshrined in various policy documents including the Constitution, to help them realise their full potentials.
Earlier in a welcome address, the Amasaman Municipal Chief Executive, Nana Bram Okae said the assembly had contributed in diverse ways to place the child at the centre of development in the municipality.
He said 60 per cent of the assembly’s budget is spent on providing educational infrastructure like school blocks to improve teaching and learning adding that within the past five months, the assembly had spent GH6,000 cedis on dual desks for schools within the municipality.
The assembly is currently feeding 4,523 pupils of six different schools as well as supporting brilliant but needy children to continue their education up to the university level.
Story Rebecca Quaicoe Duho, Amasaman
THE government is committed to using quality education to empower the youth to take up the mantle of leadership when their time is due, the Deputy Greater Accra Regional Minister, Ms Theresa Amerley Tagoe, has stated.
She said, knowledge and skilled labour force constituted the greatest assets of a nation, but if a child of school age was compelled by circumstances to go into child labour, that asset was destroyed forever.
Ms Tagoe noted that “Education as a tool empowers and expands the resource base of a nation leading to sustainable economic and social development.
The Deputy Minister was speaking during the Greater Accra Regional celebration of this year’s National Children’s Day, organised by the regional directorate of the Department of Children at Amasaman.
The day was marked with the theme, “Children at the center of the Children’s Act” and it brought together school children, parents, opinion leaders, traditional rulers and stakeholders.
Ms Tagoe urged parents to take advantage of the capitation grant and the school feeding programme introduced by the government and send their children to school.
She said parents who failed to take advantage of these programmes among others, introduced by government concerning the welfare of children, were hindering the smooth development and progress of their wards.
The ‘Children’s Act’ recognised children as people who cannot be ignored, she observed, and asked society to help these children attain their full potentials in life.
The ‘Children’s Act’ together with other Legislative Instruments, policies and programmes, such as the Early Childhood Care and Development policy and the Human Trafficking Act, among others have been ratified by Parliament for the survival, development and protection of children, Ms Tagoe noted.
The Regional Director of the Department of Children, Mr Peter Akyea, said the department had undertaken educational programmes in the region through its community sensitisation exercises which according to him had encouraged most parents to send their children to school.
He said his outfit in collaboration with the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU,) of the Ghana Police Service, had been able to address a lot of child protection issues which included child abuse and neglect.
On behalf of other school children in the district, a pupil from the Amasaman District Assembly Junior High School, Miss Gifty Nyadudzi, called on the society to help children to enjoy all their rights as enshrined in various policy documents including the Constitution, to help them realise their full potentials.
Earlier in a welcome address, the Amasaman Municipal Chief Executive, Nana Bram Okae said the assembly had contributed in diverse ways to place the child at the centre of development in the municipality.
He said 60 per cent of the assembly’s budget is spent on providing educational infrastructure like school blocks to improve teaching and learning adding that within the past five months, the assembly had spent GH6,000 cedis on dual desks for schools within the municipality.
The assembly is currently feeding 4,523 pupils of six different schools as well as supporting brilliant but needy children to continue their education up to the university level.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)