*Parliament’s Women’s Caucus to ‘name and shame’ men contesting female MPs* The Chairperson of the Women’s Caucus in Parliament, Comfort Doyoe, has warned that men who contest female candidates in the 2028 general elections risk being publicly “named and shamed.” Her remarks come amid growing concern over Ghana’s low ranking in women’s political representation, with the country currently placed 149th out of 188 nations globally. Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, March 25, Doyoe called on stakeholders and authorities to take deliberate steps to promote women’s empowerment and increase female participation in governance. “Mr Speaker, all men who will contest women in this Parliament in the next election, we will name and shame them because we need to protect them,” she said. She described findings from a recent United Nations report as worrying, noting that Ghana lags significantly behind many countries in advancing women’s representation. “Right Honourable Speaker

*Agriculture Minister Eric Opoku's Bold Plan to Boost Tomato Yields and Cut Post-Harvest Losses in Ghana* The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon Eric Opoku, has announced plans to increase tomato production in Ghana, citing a new variety with a yield of over 20 tons per hectare. Speaking in Parliament, Minister Opoku said his ministry is working with research institutions to develop the variety, which is expected to bring a lasting solution to the country's tomato production challenges. Addressing post-harvest losses, which currently stand at 30%, Minister Opoku noted that eliminating these losses alone could add 153,000 tons of tomato to the country's production, reducing the gap from 300,000 to 140,000 tons. The minister highlighted the Vegetable Development Project, launched in June/July last year, which focuses on three key areas: seed, irrigation, and market development. The project aims to increase production, reduce waste, and improve the overall tomato value chain in

"Ghana's Youth Minister Unveils Plans to Tackle Drug Abuse, Campus Violence" Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment of Ghana, Mr George Opare-Addo has highlighted how his ministry plans to tackle the root causes of drug use and violence in schools. Answering his questions at the Government Assurance committee meeting on when to implement the national service military, he revealed that, the ministry has been conducting some in-depth research on the issues affecting young people, especially in educational institutions According to him, the findings on drug use, particularly the prevalence of awareness about heroin, cocaine, weed, and alcohol on campuses, are quite concerning. He mentioned that, the survey covered the second cycle and tertiary institutions, and the data showed some alarming trends, especially among students aged 14-16. He added that, the Redmi Stop Campaign and the Peace security program are steps in the right direction to tackle his issues. Addressi

HON BUCKMAN ADVOCATE FOR NATURAL GRASS OVER ARTIFICIAL ASTRO TURF. Member of Parliament for Kwesimintsim, Philip Fiifi Buckman, is advocating for natural grass pitches over artificial AstroTurfs, citing climate concerns. In his question to Mr John Abdulai Jinapor, Minister for energy and green transition when he met with Government Assurance committee, He suggested sustainable options like natural grass or hybrid pitches, considering the cost and maintenance. The Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Jinapor, agrees, emphasizing the need for Sports Ministry involvement in astro turf contracts to ensure standard requirements are met.

*MINORITY LAMENTS GOVERNMENT'S ABANDONMENT OF RAILWAY PROJECTS* The Minority in Parliament has expressed deep concern over the government's apparent lack of commitment to the railway development sector, citing abandoned projects and meager budget allocations. Hon Kennedy Osei Nyarko, Member of Parliament for Akim Swedru and Ranking Member on Roads and Transport Committee, revealed that despite a significant investment of over $1.1 billion in the sector between 2017 and 2024, several key railway projects have been abandoned. Notable among them are the Tema-Empakanan railway line, which is 99% complete but non-operational, and the Kojo Chrome-Mansu railway line, which is 95% complete with no visible continuation. The Manso-Honi Valley section of the Western railway line has also been left idle. Hon Osei Nyarko questioned the government's commitment to railway development, pointing out that no budgetary allocation was made for the sector in 2025, and only $73 million has been alloca