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Ghana to Ratify AU Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls, Mahama Announces

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President John Dramani Mahama has announced that Ghana’s Parliament will this year ratify the African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls, describing the decision as a major step toward safeguarding the rights of women and girls and advancing gender equality in the country.

The convention, adopted in February 2025 during the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, establishes a comprehensive legal framework aimed at preventing and eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls across the continent.

Speaking at a High-Level Breakfast Meeting on Financing and Reaffirming Africa’s Gender Commitments, held on the sidelines of the 39th AU Summit in Addis Ababa on Friday, February 13, 2026, President Mahama expressed concern about the slow pace of ratification among member states.

He noted that although the convention marked a historic milestone when adopted last year, progress toward domestic ratification has been limited. Ghana, he said, has already signed the instrument and initiated the necessary processes for parliamentary approval.

“This session of our Parliament will ratify the Convention,” President Mahama stated, urging all AU member states to sign and ratify the agreement before the end of 2026.

The President emphasized that further delays would carry serious consequences, pointing to the significant economic and social toll of gender-based violence across Africa.

“Violence against women and girls is not only a moral outrage, it is an economic catastrophe,” he said, highlighting the billions of dollars lost annually through health care costs, reduced productivity, and justice-related expenditures, as well as the broader impact on families and communities.

President Mahama, who serves as the AU Champion on Gender and Development Issues, stressed that ratifying the convention would signal a firm commitment by Ghana and other African nations to eradicate violence against women. He underscored that AU gender instruments are not symbolic declarations but central components of the continent’s human rights and development framework.

“Frameworks matter, but political will matters more,” he said.

He also called on the nine AU member states yet to ratify the Maputo Protocol to do so without delay. The protocol, adopted in 2003, guarantees broad protections and rights for women across Africa and has so far been ratified by 46 member states.

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General News

Investigative Journalism Under Siege as Corruption Becomes the New Normal – Nana Kwadwo Jantuah

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Veteran journalist Nana Kwadwo Jantuah has raised concerns over the state of investigative journalism in Ghana, arguing that widespread corruption is making wrongdoing appear normal to the public.

Speaking on the challenges facing the media via a zoom meeting on Kessben TV’s Digest show, Jantuah said society has become so deeply affected by corruption that many questionable actions are now accepted by the masses without scrutiny.

According to him, powerful individuals often prioritize money above integrity, creating an environment where “every foul means” is used to accumulate wealth.
He also weighed in on recent comments by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) General Secretary, stating that while the official’s position is correct, some journalists are likely to oppose the move and criticize him for allegedly failing to meet what they describe as accepted professional standards.

Jantuah warned that investigative journalism is increasingly under pressure, stressing that journalists committed to exposing corruption must remain steadfast despite criticism and resistance.
He maintained that protecting ethical journalism is essential to safeguarding accountability and strengthening Ghana’s democracy

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Canceling Zoomlion Contract Was Reckless and Unsubstantiated – Andy Kankam Slams Government Over Accra Flood Crisis

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Managing Editor of the Informer, Andy Kankam, has strongly criticized the government’s handling of the recent flooding in Accra, describing the decision to terminate Zoomlion Ghana Limited’s sanitation contract as “reckless and unsubstantiated.”

Speaking on the aftermath of the devastating floods on Kessben Maakye show in Accra, Kankam argued that the government’s response has failed to address the root causes of the disaster, insisting that the GHS150 million allocated for flood-affected communities is inadequate.
According to him, the President should have consulted engineers and technical experts before announcing relief measures to determine the cost of expanding drainage systems and creating effective flood channels, rather than relying on political decisions.

He also questioned the process that led to the release of the relief funds, asking what consultations were undertaken before the government approved nearly GHS200 million for flood victims.

Kankam further lamented the worsening sanitation situation in the capital, claiming that heaps of refuse remain uncollected because Zoomlion no longer has a contract to clean parts of the city.

He challenged authorities to identify which company currently has the capacity to replace Zoomlion’s nationwide sanitation operations, arguing that the contract termination has contributed to choked drains and poor waste management.

The media executive maintained that flood prevention requires long-term engineering solutions and effective sanitation management, rather than emergency political interventions after disasters occur.

By Maurice Otoo

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Ghana Armed Forces to Deploy Troops and Engineers for Nationwide Flood Recovery Operation

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The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) will launch a nationwide operation to desilt major drains, rivers, and waterways in response to the severe floods that affected various regions of Ghana on June 28 and 29, 2026.

This initiative is part of the government’s flood recovery and mitigation efforts aimed at restoring damaged infrastructure and reducing the risk of future disasters. Military personnel, engineering units, and specialised machinery will be deployed to clear blocked drainage systems by removing silt, refuse, fallen trees, abandoned vehicles, collapsed structures, and other debris that obstructs the free flow of water.

At a press briefing in Accra on Friday, July 3, the Director General of Joint Operations at the Ghana Armed Forces, Brigadier General Forster Okae-Yeboah, stated that the initiative aims to reopen critical drainage channels and enhance public safety in flood-prone communities. He emphasised that roads, bridges, drains, and waterways clogged with debris would be cleared to restore normal movement and strengthen the country’s resilience against future flooding.

Brig. Gen. Okae-Yeboah also mentioned that authorities may remove buildings and other structures that have been illegally constructed within waterways or those deemed to pose an immediate danger to lives and property. He clarified that such actions will be taken in accordance with existing laws and in collaboration with the relevant civil authorities.

He urged individuals occupying drainage reserves and environmentally protected areas to cooperate with officials throughout the exercise to ensure its successful implementation.

The operation will be carried out through a coordinated effort involving several state institutions, including the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana National Fire Service, the Ghana Health Service, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The government anticipates that this exercise will improve drainage systems, restore critical public infrastructure, and minimise the impact of future flooding across the country.

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