WATER SCARCITY:Works and Housing Minister assures Ghanaians of Swift Action on Nationwide Water Crisis The Minister for Works and Housing, Kenneth Adjei, has assured Ghanaians that the Government is taking decisive steps to address the nationwide water crisis. The Works & Housing Minister gave the assurance when the Parliamentary Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources convened a meeting with key stakeholders in the water sector in addressing challenges. The Ghana Water Company Limited and the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission, community water representatives and non-governmental water organizations. The meeting focused on identifying practical solutions to the ongoing water shortages affecting several parts of the country by especially communities affected by the mining activities. According to the minister, the current water challenges began under the previous administration, which he said did not adequately address the underlying issues. However, he emphasized tha

OVER 200 DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES YET T O GAZETTE THEIR BY- LAWS- Committee Chairman The chairman for the select committee on Sanitation and water resources have highlighted a pressing concern. According to Mr John Oti Bless, over 200 MMDAs' bylaws are not gazetted, making enforcement challenging. The over 200 district assemblies bylaws that are yet to be gazetted is hindering accountability and punishment for environmental offenses. According to him, he will meet the Local Government Minister to address the issue and Official letter to be sent to MMDAs to fast-track gazetting of bylaws. The chairman emphasizes the importance of gazetted bylaws for effective governance and environmental management.

*Government Transfers Cocoa Road Liabilities to Ministry of Roads and Highways* The Minister of Roads and Highways, Governs Kwame Agbodza, has updated Parliament on the status of cocoa roads in Ghana. According to Agbodza, the government has taken a strategic policy decision to transfer responsibility for all ongoing cocoa road projects from the Cocoa Board to the Ministry of Roads and Highways. This decision aims to address the challenges facing the cocoa road program, including severe disruptions to construction activities, deterioration of road infrastructure, and disruption of the cocoa value chain and farmers' livelihoods. The suspension of the program has also led to economic and social strains on communities, loss of contractor confidence, and higher future costs. Agbodza explained that discussions are ongoing to conclude the process, and the relevant agencies have been directed to review the entire cocoa road program and present a report to the government for action. The

Parliamentary Committee to Push for Water Sector Funding The chairman of the parliamentary committee on water resources and sanitation Mr Oti Bless has announced plans to invite the finance minister to discuss ways to increase funding for the water sector. After a meeting between the committee, Ghana Water and Community Water under the works and housing and water resources ministry, the committee identified significant challenges in the sector, including a broken system and inadequate access to clean drinking water, with 40% of Ghanaians struggling to access potable water. According to him, the committee's efforts were previously praised by the majority leader, who acknowledged their vibrant work in addressing these issues. The chairman emphasizes that the committee is aware of the problems and is working to push for more resources to improve the water sector and sanitation. He also revealed that, they met a lot of debt from the previous government.

Minority Leader Demands Restoration of Cocoa Price, Cites Legal and Contractual Obligations The Minority Leader of Parliament, Osahen Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has demanded that the government immediately restore the producer price of cocoa, citing legal and contractual obligations. Speaking in Parliament, Mr Afenyo-Markin emphasized that the cocoa sector calendar runs from October 1 to September 30, and the government cannot vary the minimum guaranteed price to the disadvantage of cocoa farmers or other stakeholders. "The minimum guaranteed price is legally destined to run the full cost of the 2025-2026 crop season," Afenyo-Markin stated. He explained that the Producer Price Review Committee determines the producer price and FOB share for stakeholders, based on the achieved weighted average of aggregated volumes and prices of cocoa already traded and contracted. Afenyo-Markin noted that the Finance Minister had announced an FOB price of $7,200 per ton in October 2025, with a prod