Assemblies asked to include gender issues in budgets

Bolgatanga, Sept. 21 GNA - District and municipal assemblies in the Upper East Region, have been asked to include gender issues in their development plans and budgets to ensure the effect implementation of gender programmes.

Mr Mahami Salifu, the Regional Minister, who made the request at the Weekend, gave the assurance that the Regional Co-ordinating Council would support measures, which sought to eliminate customary practices that negatively affected the progress of women and children. These were contained in a speech read for the minister at the end of a five-day regional gender strategy development workshop in Bolgaganta.

The workshop, which was organised by Action Aid Ghana, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), in collaboration with the Regional Population Council, aimed at collating and articulating women's activities for development.

Mr Salifu commended Action Aid Ghana for initiating plans towards the solution of gender related problems but advised the NGO to expand its operations to cover a wide scope of activities to improve the lives of women and children.

Mrs Rosalyn Obeng-Ofori, the Gender Coordinator for the NGO, noted that no meaningful development could take place without the proper execution of gender programmes.

He, therefore, urged individuals and organisations involved in the planning of gender schemes to collaborate with assemblies and regional co-ordinating councils to ensure effective implementation of gender programmes.

Mr Sylvester Agangmikre, the Regional Population Officer, said the NGO would continue to work hard to enhance the development of women and children.