Madam Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, the Minister-designate, Gender, Children and Social Protection, said the Ministry would set up a Child Support Scheme to cushion vulnerable children, orphans and children rescued from trafficking.
The Ministry would also champion the basic needs of vulnerable children and vigorously advocate tax waivers on sanitary pads for girls. “I agree that there must be a way out to provide affordable sanitary pads for vulnerable girls so that they don’t fall prey to men who buy pads for them,” she said.
Speaking during her vetting by the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Wednesday, Madam Lartey pledged to enhance the quality of food provided under the School Feeding Programme to ensure good nutrition for the children. The nominee said when given the nod she would facilitate the payment of the remaining arrears to caterers under the School Feeding Programme . She underscored the need for decentralization of the Programme to facilitate prompt food delivery and better monitoring mechanism at the district level.
“The School Feeding Programme is something we all appreciate, but if a child is not properly fed, it affects his or her ability to concentrate in class,” she said. “While the initiative has its strengths, there is room for improvement, particularly in the processes leading to the distribution of food.” Madam Lartey, also the Member of Parliament for Krowor in the Greater Accra Region, said she would work closely with stakeholders to enhance the programme.
She reaffirmed the NDC-led government’s commitment to establishing a Women’s Development Bank to provide flexible loans for traders and female entrepreneurs. Responding to concerns that the initiative might disadvantage men, Madam Lartey explained that the existing financial systems favored men, leaving women in the informal sector at a disadvantage.
“There is an existing financial support structure that serves the interests of men more than women. Additionally, many women are in the informal sector, where access to collateral is limited, and the high interest rates charged by traditional banks are unaffordable,” she said. “I’m excited about this initiative, and I am sure the people of Ghana will want to see it come to fruition.” Madam Lartey said she would work collaboratively with the Ministry of Finance to set up the Bank in fulfilment of the Party’s Manifesto promise.
Source: GNA
