Gender Minister tours Tema, Ashaiman markets and fishing areas
Nana Oye Lithur, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection on Friday toured Tema and Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region to ascertain at first hand some of the challenges facing women and children in the area and the country as a whole.
The Minister visited the Canoe Landing Beach at the Tema Fishing Harbour, the U Compound Fish Smoking Base, the Tema and Ashaiman Chiefs, Tema Manhyia Senior High School and the Ashaiman Main Market.
Nana Oye Lithur at her stops explained the Ministry’s agenda for them to understand the mandate and operations of the Ministry.
She said the Ministry was sourcing for funds from donors to implement programmes and projects that would lift the standards of women and also protect children in the country.
Nana Oye Lithur said the Government, through the Ministry would assist the aged poor in the country with an amount of GHC45.00 every month, and that about 75,000 people were benefiting from it, adding that, “The Ministry would increase the number to 150,000 people by the end of the year.”
She said the Ministry’s agenda is to build Day Care Centres, Toilet facilities and clinics at the country’s various market to give market women the opportunity to constantly screen and check themselves of the various diseases.
Nana Oye Lithur also reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to work with financial institutions to give micro credits to market women to improve their businesses.
The Minister also ordered the police to immediately close and demolish the 3 Monkeys and Mama Africa Camps, which were being used as brothels by young girls for their commercial sex activities.
Nii Odametey II, Chief Fishermen said the fishing communities were in need of basic facilities such as schools, clinics and toilet facilities and urged the Minister to expedite action in providing the facilities.
He said the fishermen were not complying to the fishing Act 625 of 2002 and L.I. 2010 of 1968 and urged them to collaborate with Ministry of Fisheries to enforce the fisheries Act.
Madam Doris Ahadzie, Leader of U Compound Fishing Base said, the community exports about 80 percent of the smoked fishes to neighbouring West African Countries without support from the Government.
She said Government must support them with credit facilities and asked the minister to visit the Manhyiu SHS and inspect a school dormitory block which was being put up by the fisher folks in the area.
The Chief expressed worry about the rate at which young girls in the area were engaging in prostitution and other nefarious activities and appealed to the Minister to pay serious attention to the issues confronting the areas.
At Ashaiman, Madam Leticia Ayaba, Market Queen of Ashaiman appealed to the Minister to collaborate with the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly (ASHMA) to provide electricity, market sheds and the tarring of the roads that leads to the market area and also provide them with Clinics, Toilet facility and a Day Care Centre.
The Butchers at the Ashaiman market also made an appeal to the Minister to ensure that water was connected to the markets.
Source: GNA