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Allow women to own farmlands in the north – ActionAid
The Upper West Regional Programmes Manager of ActionAid, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in the country, Ms Terence Tienaah has appealed to chiefs and land owners in the region to allow women own lands for sustainable agriculture.
She said that women’s lack of control and ownership over land was impeding their efforts in attaining substantive productivity in agriculture.
“Elsewhere in this country where women have been allowed to own lands, we are seeing the impact they are making in agriculture, women can do well when they are empowered in this regard”, she said.
Ms Tienaah was speaking on the sidelines of a Stakeholders Consultative Meeting on the implementation of a climate smart project by the NGO christened “Northern Ghana Integrated Development Project (NGIDP).
The 48 months’ project which commenced in 2019 in 15 districts in the Upper West, Upper East, Savannah and Northern regions of Ghana sought to among other things, promote opportunities for sustainable agriculture, social protection and decent work in the agrarian sector.
Ms Tienaah said that there had been a lot of improvement with regard to access to land by women in northern Ghana due to increased advocacy but stated sadly that “the lands which were given to them were not permanent”.
“A woman is given a land and in the next farming season or two when the land has become fertile, the land is taken away from her and she is given another fallow one; if this continues the woman is unable to undertake production of cash crops because those ones take time to mature but they are the ones that bring in the much needed income”, she stressed.
She said ecological farming which was sustainable and favourable in addressing climate change was low among smallholder women farmers in the region due to ownership of land.
“So we see a lot of women in agriculture but most of them are working on their husbands’ farms, only a few of them can boast of lands that belong to them and are able to practise ecological farming and we need this narrative to change”, she said.
The Programmes Manager said they were working as an organisation in collaboration with local actors such as the Department of Agriculture of the various Dstrict and Nunicipal Assemblies as well as civil society organisations to reach out to as many smallholder women farmers as possible to support them in their vocation.
“We are not only looking at cultivation; we are also supporting women along the agriculture value chain by installing equipment for women who were into processing of Shea fruits to aid their work”, she said.
She used the opportunity to call on beneficiary communities of the intervention in the Upper West Region to maintain the pieces of equipment to ensure their longevity and serve the purpose for which they were provided.
From Lydia Darlington Fordjour, Wa
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ASWIM lauds Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang
The Association of Women in the Media, (ASWIM) has congratulated Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang on her historic achievement as Ghana’s first female Vice President.
The association said her trailblazing journey with sterling accomplishments from academia to politics, is undoubtedly, a vivid inspiration to countless women and girls across Ghana and Africa.
This was contained in a statement signed by its president, Mrs Mavis Kitcher, and copied to The Spectator on Tuesday in Accra.
“ASWIM celebrates your remarkable career, marked by numerous firsts, including the first female Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, (UCC), and the first female to hold a professional chair in Ghana, (UCC),” the statement said.
It said the accomplishments of Prof Opoku- Agyemang were clear testament to the brilliance, resilience and resourceful nature of the complete beautiful African woman.
“As she takes on this new role, ASWIM proudly lauds her commitment to education, women’s empowerment, distinguished public service and patriotism and is very confident that her pursuit of excellence, love for humanity, humility, decency, modesty and commitment to the welfare of the vulnerable will characterise Ghana’s political leadership and public service,” the statement added.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
Entertainment
Demolition of Fantasy Dome unfair — Mark Okraku-Mantey
Months after the Fantasy Dome was dismantled to make way for construction at the Ghana International Trade Fair site, the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr Mark Okraku-Mantey, has expressed concern over the manner the facility was destroyed.
In an interview on Daybreak Hitz with Andy Dosty, Mr Okraku-Mantey criticised the handling of the dome’s dismantling, suggesting that it could have been done without causing damage.
“I don’t think that leadership gave instructions that they should do what happened. The structure was a prefab but I hear the people destroyed it. That one, we cannot defend it. It is unfair to him (owner). Sometimes, you give instructions and people will go and do things that will make you look bad,” he stated.
When asked about any punitive measure against the workers responsible for the destruction, Mr Okraku-Mantey clarified that the Trade Fair does not fall under his ministry.
He said he had previously contacted the owner, Leslie Quaynor, to discuss relocating the dome, and even suggested the National Museum as a potential site, though it was too small.
The demolition of the 20,000-seater Fantasy Dome occurred on March 16, 2024.
According to Dr Agnes Adu, CEO of the Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited, the action was taken after multiple notices were given to Quaynor to vacate the premises for redevelopment, as per their tenancy agreement.
Dr Adu noted that all previous tenants had complied except for the Fantasy Dome.
Quaynor, in an interview with JoyNews, confirmed that his lease had ended, and was in the process of relocating the dome.
He had requested an extension, which was denied, leading him to seek a writ and an injunction from an Accra High Court to halt the demolition.
Despite this, the demolition proceeded, causing significant damage to the structure.
Quaynor described the incident as a major setback, not only for his business but also for the entertainment industry, which relies on venues like the Fantasy Dome.
