NDC’s future depends on youth wing – Armah Buah

September 21, 2026

• Tamale Central MP, Alidu Seidu Mahama, launched the Lebgimsim Enterprise Fund to support 20,000 women by 2030.
• The initiative aims to promote women's economic empowerment by providing financial assistance for business establishment or expansion.
• The first cohort includes 60 women divided into three groups, each receiving GH¢40,000 for business investment.
• Beneficiaries also undergo a three-day intensive training program covering resource management, business branding, and digital marketing.
• Approximately GH¢3 million is expected to be invested in women and youth empowerment initiatives over the next four to five years, with ongoing monitoring.

September 22, 2026

• AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Mene stressed the need for Africa to bolster payment systems, border efficiency, and infrastructure to unlock the full benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
• Key priorities include aligning national policies, modernizing customs, and enabling cross-border payments in local currencies to simplify market access.
• Mene highlighted that fragmented markets force businesses (e.g., Ghana-Kenya) to use third currencies like the US dollar, costing the continent an estimated US$5 billion annually in conversion fees.
• The Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) is presented as a practical solution to facilitate local currency payments and reduce reliance on external currencies.
• Project professionals are crucial for translating continental agreements into tangible services, managing complex cross-border projects, and ensuring effective infrastructure and digital system integration, with safeguards for infant industries also discussed.

September 22, 2026

• Ghana, in collaboration with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, has launched the National Horticultural Seed Roadmap.
• The roadmap aims to identify challenges and propose strategic actions to improve the availability, accessibility, and use of quality vegetable seeds and seedlings.
• Developed through multi-stakeholder collaboration, it provides strategic guidance for the next three to five years, building on a 2024 sector assessment.
• Deputy Minister John Dumelo emphasized its importance for agricultural productivity, household nutrition, employment, agro-processing, and the supply of affordable vegetables.
• Key implementation aspects include linking research with farming realities, strengthening local capacity for seed development, and ensuring private sector involvement in production and investment.