DR. AGNES NAA Momo Lartey, Member of Parliament for Krowor Constituency and Minister Designate for Gender and Social Protection, outlined her vision for revitalizing Ghana’s social protection systems during her parliamentary vetting.
Her responses covered a range of critical issues, including school feeding, gender equity, cultural values, and financial inclusion for women.
Revamping the School Feeding Programme
Dr. Lartey emphasized the importance of the School Feeding Programme in improving the health and cognitive development of Ghanaian children. However, she acknowledged that the current programme often falls short of providing quality food to students.
She committed to ensuring that the programme would be extended to all school children across the country to receive nutritious meals, saying, “We need to focus not just on feeding children but on feeding them well with quality food.”
Dr. Naa Momo Lartey pledged to collaborate with the Ministry of Finance to ensure prompt funding and hinted at decentralizing the programme for better oversight and quality assurance.
“Gender is Binary” Stance
During the vetting, Dr. Momo Lartey clarified her belief that gender is binary. This statement adds a straightforward perspective to ongoing national discussions about gender identity and inclusivity.
Value System in Education and LGBTQ+ Legislation
Dr. Lartey voiced strong support for incorporating Ghanaian cultural values into the educational curriculum, aligning with President John Dramani Mahama’s stance. Additionally, she expressed her willingness to support any legislation opposing LGBTQ+ practices, stating, “If a law against LGBTQ+ practices is proposed, I will not oppose it.”
Sanitary Pads for Schoolgirls
The nominee highlighted the struggles of young girls in schools during their menstrual cycles. She promised to work towards providing sanitary pads for school girls to ensure that menstruation does not hinder their education.
Support for Women’s Banking Initiatives
Dr. Naa Momo Lartey praised the Vice President, Her Excellency Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang’s initiative to introduce women’s banking programmes, which would provide loans to vulnerable women without requiring guarantors or collateral.
She said these loans, which would have minimal interest rates, would empower women economically while reducing the financial pressure on them.
She was quick to add that some cases women are the bread winners of their families where the men are either not working or are at large hiding from their responsibilities.
Backing Paternity Leave for Ghanaian Men
Echoing another of the Vice President’s initiatives, Dr. Momo Lartey expressed support for granting paternity leave to men in Ghana.
She argued that such a policy would enable fathers to assist their wives after childbirth, care for their newborns and contribute to the upbringing of other children during crucial periods.
Land Acquisition Clarification
Responding to questions about her personal land acquisition, Dr. Lartey assured the committee that her property was legitimately purchased from the Chiefs of Krower.
She emphasized that, unlike previous government appointees accused of buying state lands at discounted rates, her acquisition was above board.
A Vision for Change
Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey’s vetting revealed her determination to tackle systemic issues in Ghana’s social protection programmes. Her focus on quality, inclusivity and transparency promises a transformative tenure if confirmed as Minister of Gender and Social Protection.
Stay tuned as we bring you accurate updates on her appointment and implementation of these bold initiatives.
Source: Nationaltymes.com
