By Eunice Hilda A. Mensah
Accra, Feb.27, GNA–President Nana Akufo-Addo has called on Parliament to support the promotion of the Gender equality agenda by speedily passing the Affirmative Action Bill (AABill).
The President, who made the call during his delivery of the 2024 State of the Nation Address in Parliament on Tuesday, explained that it was in line with the government’s commitment to ensure gender equality that the revised National Gender Policy and AABill were approved by Cabinet in October 2023.
“The Affirmative Action Bill is currently before Parliament for consideration and approval. We count on the support of Parliament for speedy passage of the Bill,” he said.
Prez Akufo-Addo said the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) was implementing an only women support programme, where micro, small and medium enterprises, owned by women, with the potential for scaling up their operations, increasing sales and creating sustainable jobs, would receive liquidity support.
The GEA was also implementing the YouStart Programme, a youth empowerment programme, which recently disbursed GH¢100 million to some three thousand youth beneficiaries to upscale their businesses.
Government, the President said, was also implementing some interventions directed at providing support for Persons with Disabilities (PWD).
In June last year, he said a significant boost was given to micro, small and medium enterprises owned by persons with disabilities when the Government launched the GH¢12 million PWD Enterprise Support Programme.
“This grant support programme, under the Ghana Transformative Project, is being funded by the World Bank.
“Again, the Youth Employment Agency has initiated a groundbreaking employment drive targeting 282 persons with disabilities who worked at tollbooths,” he disclosed.
GNA