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Don’t impose additional burdens on families- CRI

Bright Appiah
Bright Appiah

The Executive Director of Child Rights International (CRI), Mr Bright Appiah, has called on government not to impose additional financial burdens on families whose children are beneficiaries of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy.

The call was in reaction to concerns over proposals suggesting that parents should bear additional costs related to the Free SHS policy, including expenses for food and accommodation.

He argues that such measures undermine the policy’s fundamental principles of equity, inclusivity, and universal access to secondary education.

In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Mr Bright Appiah, CRI emphasised that the Free SHS policy was designed to eliminate financial barriers to education, ensuring that all children have equal opportunities.

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“Requiring parents to shoulder feeding and accommodation costs, according to him, introduces inequalities and contradicts the policy’s original intent,” Mr Appiah stated.

He underscored that while logistical challenges in implementing Free SHS persist, it is the responsibility of the government and implementing authorities to resolve these issues, not parents.

He called for direct engagement between stakeholders and the government to address any operational or systemic flaws.

Highlighting Ghana’s commitment to international child rights standards, including the Children’s Act and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, he reiterated that policies affecting children must prioritise their well-being.

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Mr Appiah called on stakeholders to refrain from actions that could deprive students of essential needs like food and accommodation, reaffirming that every child has a right to education without impediments.

“As stakeholders we have the mandate to collaborate and find solutions that would protect and enhance Free SHS policy to secure a brighter future for Ghanaian children and the nation as a whole,” he said.

Mr Appiah reaffirmed CRI’s dedication to safeguarding children’s rights and ensuring that educational policies do not compromise access to education.

By Agnes Opoku Sarpong

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120-Day Social Contract Task Force starts work

President John Dramani Mahama’s 120 Days Social Contract Task Force has held its inaugural meeting following the swearing-in of the full complement of ministers of state.

Chaired by Dr Valerie Sawyerr, Senior Presidential Advisor on Governmental Affairs, the 19-member task force is to ensure that the policies outlined in the NDC Manifesto to be achieved within the first 120 days of President Mahama’s assumption of office are fulfilled.

The president noted that while some of the promises have been delivered, others required a sectoral focus and needed the ministers to be in place.

“Some of the targets were to be achieved within 90 days, while others were in 14 days like the promise to assemble a full cabinet, which has been achieved.

“Others necessarily must go with some things, for instance the removal of some taxes and rationalisation of taxes can only be in the budget because you need to do revenue measures and put those tax instruments before Parliament,” the President said.

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“So, all of you are supposed to focus on your sectors and work so that we achieve all the targets that we set ourselves in the 120-day plan.”

President Mahama, referred to Task Force as the G120, and urged them to work closely with the Chairperson, to make sure that the government is faithful to the mandate given it by the people of Ghana.

He noted that the National Economic Dialogue Planning Committee and the Constitution Review Committee have started work. The president lauded the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, for setting up the National Forum on Education Committee.

“The Minister for Education, who was amongst the earliest to be sworn-in has already moved quite fast with the issue of the national education review and so for those of you who were sworn-in later look into your sector ministries and the promises that we made and then work as quickly as possible with the senior presidential advisor on governmental affairs to be able to achieve those targets we’ve set ourselves”, the President said.

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The 120 days Social Contract Task Force include Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, Finance Minister, John Abu Jinapor, Energy Minister, Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu Agyare, Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Dr Dominic Akurutinga Ayine, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, Education Minister.

The others are Hon. Dzifa Abla Gomashie, Minister for Tourism, George Opare Addo, Minister for Youth Development, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Minister for Health, and Dr Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, Minister for Labour, Jobs, and Employment.

The rest are Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Samuel Nartey George, Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Hon. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Mr Prosper Bani, National Security Adviser, Mr Goosie Tanoh, Presidential Advisor on the 24-Hour Economy, Professor Francis Dodoo, Presidential Adviser, Mrs Joyce Bawah Mogtari, Presidential Adviser and Special Aide to the President and COP Kofi Boakye (Rtd.), Director of Operations at the Presidency.

Dr Valerie Sawyerr on behalf of the Team, expressed gratitude to President Mahama for the honour bestowed upon them.

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“We know how seriously you take your promises to the people of Ghana. Each promise is best with deep thinking, painstaking calculation, and consideration of various permutations to ensure they are viable, doable, and sustainable,” she said.

“We will not fail you; we will not fail the people of Ghana and God be our helper,” Dr Sawyerr said.

Story credit: Ghana News Agency.

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Mahama scales down celebration of independence anniversary

President John Dramani Mahama has suspended the rotational celebration of the Independence Anniversary across various regions to save cost. 

The president has also directed the National Planning Committee to revise the programme of activities for the national celebration in Accra to scale down the scope of the celebration and reduce the amount of money spent annually.

Addressing a press conference, Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, said the government in 2024 spent almost fifteen million Ghana Cedis (GH¢ 15,000,000) on the celebration in Koforidua.

“For that reason, he has decided that this year’s celebration will not take on the spectacular form that we have been used to over the years. Rather than a major event at the Independence Square, where there are contingents of men from the various security agencies and hundreds of schoolchildren, there will be a scaled-down commemoration at the forecourt of the Presidency,” the Minister said.

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PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE ON 68TH INDEPENDENCE DAY COMMEMORATION

1. There’ll be a scaled-down commemoration of this year’s commemoration at the National & District Levels ONLY.

2. There’ll be no commemoration at the Regional Level.

3. The scaled-down National Celebration will take place at the forecourt of the Presidency.

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4. ⁠There will be no parade or match past of security agencies and school children during the National Celebration.

5. The Regional Ministers are to ensure that MMDAs scale down the commemoration in their Districts.

6. Other activities approved by the President are the 28th February Crossroads Shooting Incident and the President’s Special Awards for Children.

REVISED ACTIVITIES FOR THE NATIONAL CELEBRATION

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1. Mounting of a Guard of Honour by the Security Agencies

2. ⁠Cultural Performances & Recitals

3. National Address by the President and Commander in Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces.

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