Development Agenda

Parliament has just passed the Affirmative Action bill into law. The Affirmative Action Gender Equity Bill 2024, which has been in and out of Parliament for several years, was finally passed unanimously by the House. The bill is expected to ensure that a critical number of women hold key positions in governance, public life, and decision-making spaces, thereby improving the lives ...

Shamima Muslim, a renowned gender activist, has expressed her excitement and relief following the passage of the Affirmative Action, Gender Equity Bill 2024 by Parliament. The bill, which aims to address historical gender imbalances and promote gender equity in both the public and private sectors, was passed on Tuesday, marking a significant milestone in the fight for gender equality in ...

The unexpected increase in the cost of fuel, electricity and cement is one of the most urgent economic issues confronting the country now. While interest rates in the sub-region average 10 per cent, interest rates in Ghana hover around 30 per cent. Interest rates impact foreign investments. The recent losses reported by the Central Bank are much more worrisome. In light ...

Some Members of Parliament in the Minority Caucus have rejected a report by the joint committee on Mines and Energy and Lands and Forestry, which investigated a clash between small-scale salt miners and officials of Electrochem Ghana Limited at the Songor Lagoon enclave. The report recommends no review of the three mining leases ratified by Parliament for Electrochem Ghana. During ...

Ghana is set to introduce paternity leave as part of a series of labour reforms planned for the year 2024.  The announcement was made by Finance Minister, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam during his mid-year budget review presentation to Parliament on Tuesday, July 23. Dr. Adam stated that the government, in collaboration with its social partners, has developed a draft Labour ...

The world’s forests are becoming increasingly susceptible to wildfires and pests due to climate change, according to a new report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), released Monday.  “Forests and trees are essential components of agrifood systems. The removal of forest cover, especially in the tropics, increases local temperatures and disrupts rainfall patterns in ways that compound the ...

To hear the government tell it, its “flagship” Free Senior High School (FSHS) programme has been so successful that it must be protected through legislation before the December 2024 elections to prevent “evil” John Mahama from messing it up if he should return to power in 2025.  At least one government official believes this hype so much that he once ...

The Executive Director of the Integrated Social Development Centre ( ISODEC), Mr Sam Salifu Danse has stated that the pervasive poverty and widening inequality in Nigeria can be addressed if natural resource wealth in the West African country is used prudently by successive governments. According to Mr Danse, Nigeria, unlike other countries is blessed with abundance of natural resources, including ...

Addressing the opening of the 2024 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), Amina Mohammed called for transformative actions and bold policies to address pressing global challenges such as poverty, food insecurity and climate change. “Although the greatest challenges before us are daunting, together we can overcome them, achieve the peaceful, prosperous and sustainable future that all people not only need but deserve,” she told ...

The Executive Director of STAR-Ghana Foundation, Mr Ibrahim-Tanko Amidu has underscored the significant roles of civil society organizations in achieving justice and equity in society, stressing the need for effective collaboration for the purposes of achieving their goals.  Mr Amidu also rallied Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to unite, support, and hold each other accountable in order to achieve their objectives. While noting the complexity of development ...