Widows from Upper East, Upper West and Northern regions have petitioned government to ensure the Lands Commission establishes land banks to facilitate women’s easy access to farmlands.
According to them government’s flagship programme ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ has come at a right time to benefit rural women farmers.
However, the widows say it is difficulty for them and their children to own farmlands, a major challenge for them in the three regions to equally benefit from the policy.
National Director for Widows and Orphans Movement (WOM), Fati Abigail Abdulai, who presented a communiqué to Upper East Regional Minister, Rockson Ayine Bukari on behalf of the widows also demanded the “Land Administration Project (LAP II) to carry out an intense public education on the provisions of the Land Bill and the need for the passage of a gender sensitive bill that addresses the needs and interests of women.”
The widows on the commemoration of the International Widows Day in Bolgatanga last Friday, passionately appealed to government to “reduce and or exempt needy widows and their children from having to pay the high cost of seeking justice in courts”
The communiqué also emphasized the need for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to reintroduce and enforce the administrative directive that seeks a reservation of 30% of its credit funds to service women’s enterprise.
The about 300 widows who matched through the principal streets of Bolgatanga and climaxed the commemoration at the Catholic Social Center reminded government of the day to “commit to the full implementation of chapter 11 (social development) of its party manifesto”
The International Widows Day is commemorated each year to drum home the plight of widows, their children and orphans go through. It was on the theme: ‘Inclusion of the invisible women and invisible problems to national agenda through community youth journalism.’
According to Upper East Regional Minister, Rockson Ayine Bukari, the country’s attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) can be met if pragmatic measures are put in place to address challenges faced by the vulnerable in society.
Mr. Bukari said it is against this backdrop that the government is implementing policies and programmes that address the needs of the poor in the country.
“To that end, President Nana Akufo Addo and the NPP expanded and re-targeted social protection programmes such as the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), School Feeding and the Disability Fund” he stated.” He said.
