Nana Oye Lithur takes steps to restructure Gender Ministry
Nana Oye Lithur, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection has stated that her office has put forward a 21-page agenda towards restructuring the new Ministry to enable it to play its role efficiently.
She said the Ministry was poised to institute some changes and that there was an executive instrument already in place to enable it to meet set objectives.
Nana Oye Lithur was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of the State of the Nation’s address by President Mahama on the floor of Parliament on Thursday.
She said what was needed was to get the data base of the poor and vulnerable in society to be able to carry out the social protection.
She said being the first woman to head the new Ministry and with her background as a human rights lawyer she was confident that she would be able to bring some relief to the vulnerable and the poor.
Citing the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) for an instance, Nana Lithur indicated that the Ministry would work with SADA to be able to identify and assist the vulnerable.
She also reiterated her commitment to protect the rights of Ghanaians including the rights of gays, saying the gay issue was a communication issue.
On the issue of Kayaye, the Minister noted that once SADA was in full implementation and jobs were created, it would reduce the drift of young girls from the north to the city.
She disclosed the Ministry had planned to work around the market areas where most of the Kayaye were found to identify and gather data about them so that some educational training could be organized in the short term for those who would be willing to return to the classroom.
She said some of them had finished some level of education but the support to go further was a problem.
She noted that the issue of Kayaye was a developmental problem and called on traditional rulers and religious leaders to assist in tackling the problem.
Mr Sam Pee Yalley, a legal practitioner, condemned the minority walk-out, saying it was unfortunate because the whole world was watching Ghana.
Mr Alfred Agbesi, Deputy Majority Leader said the minority had done what they wanted but “we will continue to rule so it is better they stopped their behavior and come and joined so that we work together as a united front.”
Mrs Laadi Ayamba Ayii, Member of Parliament for Pusiga, said the National Democratic Congress government had always been committed to social democracy and that was the course the President was pursuing.
She expressed her disappointment with the minority walkout saying it was uncalled for because they represented their constituents in Parliament and should therefore take part in every activity of the House.
Mr Benjamin Kunbuor, Majority Leader in his statement before the House was adjourned said the minority were wise enough to have left because the state of the nation’s address was loaded and the minority needed to carry out some research on it to help them contribute on the floor of Parliament when the House began debating the address.
He indicated that once the offices at job 600 were furnished with computers and internet connectivity, MPs would easily get information right in their offices rather that having to walk far to gather information.
The minority had walked out of the House before the arrival of President Mahama at about 10:14 hours.
Source: GNA