Gender ministry is to protect the vulnerable - President Mahama
President John Dramani Mahama has explained that the work of the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection is to protect and promote the well-being of the vulnerable in society.
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He said the ministry would coordinate, monitor and evaluate the various programmes of the children and gender departments to ensure compliance.
President Mahama was speaking Monday when he swore in four ministers of state at the Castle, Osu.
They are Nana Oye Lithur, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection; Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, Minister of Education; Mr Akwesi Oppong-Fosu Minister of Local Government, and Dr Oteng Adjei, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology.
He administered the oaths of allegiance, minister of state and secrecy to the ministers.
Thereafter, the ministers signed the oath book, and the President also appended his signature. President Mahama then presented the scrolls of office to the ministers, who were accompanied by their family members and friends.
The appointment of Nana Oye Lithur to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection generated intense debate because of her position as a human rights lawyer to defend the rights of all Ghanaians, including homosexuals.
Some people, including a section of the clergy, opposed her appointment.
Members of the Appointments Committee focused many of their questions on the issue of homosexuality during Nana Oye Lithur's vetting.
President Mahama said the nomination of Nana Oye Lithur had generated a lot of debate, but underscored the fact that the work of the ministry had been spelt out.
He said Nana Oye Lithur had the track record of defending the vulnerable in society.
For instance, the President said, she was one of the lawyers who spoke against the killing of Ghanaians in The Gambia.
He, therefore, expressed the hope that she would help to protect and promote the wellbeing of children and the deprived in society.
President Mahama reminded the new ministers of state that the expectations of Ghanaians, who gave the National Democratic Congress (NDC) the mandate, were high.
He, therefore, urged them to initiate new ideas to support the government to deliver the promises it made to the people.
The President asked the ministers to see their position as a privilege to serve Ghanaians with modesty and respect but not to lord it over the people.
On behalf of her colleague ministers of state, Nana Oye Lithur thanked President Mahama for the confidence reposed in them, and promised to support him to realise the objectives of moving the country "to a fully fledged middle income country".
She pledged that they would put in their best to support the President to prosecute programmes to achieve the mandate of the Better Ghana agenda.
Nana Oye Lithur promised that she would ensure that every single Ghanaian would realise their full potential to build a better society for all Ghanaians.
She said the ministers of state would work towards their mandate "to ensure that it is the people who matter".
Story by Musah Yahaya Jafaru